What Are You?
by NDW1457
Summary: Lexa and her pack are forced to leave their home following a harrowing attack. They move to a small town along the coast, where drama ensues. Will the pack finally be able to settle or will they be torn apart?
1. Chapter 1

Lexa looked out from the deck of her recently purchased lakeside cabin. She looked out across the lake, a soft mist hovering over the top, whilst the rising sun had begun casting its warm rays. The cabin was simple but quaint. Nestled against the treeline of the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest in Wisconsin. It's painted red walls stood out against the dense greenery. There was a small path leading from the bottom of the steps of the front deck, down to the water front. The brunette smiled to herself as she heard nothing but the odd bird call and the gentle water hitting the banks. Lexa couldn't remember feeling this peaceful, not with everything that had happened recently.

She was brought out of her peaceful bubble after thinking back over the past year. It wasn't as though she was hiding or running away. Well, actually thats exactly what she was doing. Maybe she was in denial. After the brutal death of her late partner, Costia, nothing seemed to make sense anymore. At the mere age of 23, Lexa found solace in being alone. The complete opposite of her former self. Luckily, she had her pack with her. Not that she would ever part with them. She would follow them to the ends of the earth if necessary. They had done so much for her, she owed each member her life. They were her family.

"Lexa. We need to talk" Anya's stern voice sounded in Lexa's head. Telepathy was their gift amongst the pack. Luckily, its only used as a means of communication and not mind control or thought reading.

"I'll be there in five" Lexa mentally replied as she hopped over the wooden railing, landing with a small thud against the soft grass.

Lexa closed her eyes, embracing her inner wolf. It was no lie that she loved being one with her wolf self. Morphing into her wolf form used to be easy. It was like second nature. However, since losing Costia, every time she turned she felt heavy. Her bones and muscles ached more. Her chest would constrict at the thought of losing her once mate. Lexa shook her head, willing the negative thoughts away as she felt a low growl rumble through her chest. Within seconds, her skin was no longer that of a human, but covered in jet black fur. She planted all four large paws on the grass beneath her, panting slightly whilst she adjusted to the new surroundings. This was the first time she had transformed since moving here a few days ago. Lexa couldn't deny that Bayfield was by far one of her favorite places they had moved to.

The all black wolf started off in a light gallop as she wavered through the trees, soon picking up the pace. She ran hastily through the forrest, skillfully jumping over fallen branches and weaving through overgrown vegetation. After a few minutes, Lexa recognised the familiar scents of her pack mates, lifting her head and howling, making her prescence known. She was delighted to hear howls in reply. Not long after, Lexa reached her destination, being greeted by the majority of the pack. Anya was their Alpha, standing tall on all fours at the head of the group. Her fur was light brown in colour with grey and white specs across her chest and back. It contrasted beautifully with her hazel coloured eyes.

"Lexa, you made it ok?" Lexa looked up and let out a playful bark at her Alpha whilst nodding her large head in reply. Lexa's wolf was slightly larger than Anya's. But what Anya lacked in size, she made up in knowledge. The Alpha was certainly the wisest of the pack, making her the perfect leader. Lexa was known as the Beta of the pack, effectively Anya's second in command. Anya's partner, Luke, had declined the offer of being the second Alpha, but instead wanted to be Lead Warrior, which suited him to a tee. He certainly was the best warrior. He currently stood proudly next to Anya, his golden fur glowing against the sun light, highlighting the red tints perfectly. To Luke's right, Lincoln and Octavia were nuzzling against one another. Octavia's wolf was beautiful. Her fur was light grey, and slender in build, making her one of the quickest in the pack. Her grey eyes shone brightly against her light fur, where as Lincoln's fur was very dark brown, with a small triangular white marking on his chest.

Lexa heard a scuffle to her left, snapping her head around to find Zak and Bellamy barreling towards them, obviously trying to prove who was the strongest between the pair. Bellamy's wolf was dark grey in color with shades of light grey, however Zak's wolf was pure white. His blue eyes shining brightly. They came to a halt after Anya let out a warning growl, causing both of them to bow down to their Alpha, wining apologetically. Lexa let out a huff in amusement, whilst Bellamy nuzzled into her side playfully. Not long after, Bellamy's partner Emma came trotting down alongside Zak's partner Jess. Emma's wolf was multicolored, with a grey body, black legs and hints of white covering her body. Jess' wolf, on the other hand, was light brown with white and hazel pigments.

"I'm glad you're all here" Anya began once the pack had formed in front of her. "Me and Luke have scouted the area, and it all seems relatively normal. But I want you to all be aware that there have been some mysterious deaths in these parts recently. So you need to be careful. We don't know what it is. According to the locals, they have looked like animal attacks, but apparently they haven't caught this 'animal'. We haven't picked up any other scents apart from ours, so I don't think its another pack, however that doesn't mean we can relax. Not yet anyway"

"This place seems cool!" Bellamy hopped up, with a wide grin etched onto his face.

"It does! We drove through town earlier and there's a bar on the water front, wanna check it out later?" Zak looked through the pack as he addressed them. Each wolf nodded, where as Lexa wasn't sure yet. Octavia trotted over and sat next to Lexa, nudging into her as she did so.

"You should come tonight, Lex. It might be good to mix as a human again. Just think about it, ok?" The black wolf nodded in reply, turning and heading back in the direction of her cabin. Octavia watched her sister walk away. Her heart ached for Lexa. She couldn't imagine ever losing Lincoln, her mate. Sensing her angst, Lincoln walked over to Octavia and nuzzled her head with his own. "Just give her time, O. She's still hurting". Lincolns soft voice always seemed to calm Octavia down.

Lexa made it back to her cabin within the space of minutes, memorising the best way to get back from their new meeting place. She shifted back to her human self, immediately feeling the ache in her muscles. The brunette let out an aggrevated sigh as she hopped up the few steps and let herself in to her home. Seeing as though she had just moved in, Lexa had had little time to decorate the cabin. At the moment, it was pretty bare. But that was soon to change. She made her way up to her bathroom, taking two steps at a time, however halted after catching a glimpse of her naked self in the mirror. Her eyes still shined a brilliant green. One of the after effects of shifting. Her skin was lined with a thin layer of sweat, whilst her hair was slightly matted and messy. She took a quick shower, dried her hair and pulled some light coloured jeans on and a black jumper. Her face was always tanned, seeing as though she spent most of her life outdoors, so there wasn't much need for make up.

Lexa looked around her cabin, instantly hating the emptiness. She grabbed her car keys, making sure to lock the front door before she walked down the stairs towards her all black Ford Raptor pick up truck. The brunette grinned as she hopped up into her brand new truck. She started the engine, loving the growl it made as she did so. The drive from her cabin into Downtown Bayfield was rather pleasant. The sun was now shining high in the sky, emitting enough heat to allow Lexa to have both windows down, feeling the warm summer air blow against her face.

Lexa pulled her truck to a stop when she reached the centre of Downtown. Looking to her right, she saw the ocean with the harbor, where as to her left there was a long line of various shops and restaurants. Deciding it was best to go on foot from here, she parked her truck and made sure it was locked before making her way down to the harbour. She had to admit, the people here seemed very friendly. Each one she passed, smiled and greeted her politely. Lexa got carried away taking in the numerous sights the town had to offer, that she didn't have time to stop herself before walking straight into the back of a stranger, sending them flying to the floor. Lexa quickly pulled her sunglasses off and knelt down, holding out her hands to help the stranger up.

"Oh my god! I'm so sorry! Are you ok?" The stranger luckily had held her hands out in front of her, catching herself as she fell. Lexa almost had to shield her eyes from the brilliant blonde hair of this mysterious stranger who was now staring back at Lexa with her bright blue eyes. Lexa's breath hitched as she looked back into the blonde's eyes. A small smile tugged at the mysterious girl's lips as she took Lexa's hand in her own, accepting her help to get back to her feet. Lexa furrowed her eyebrows in confusion as she felt her hand being held tightly until she realised what the other girl was doing.

"I'm Clarke. And I'm fine, thankyou" Lexa let out a slight chuckle at this girl before replying.

"I'm Lexa"

"Lexa" Clarke repeated the brunette's name, as if trying out how it sounded on her tongue, before letting Lexa's hand go. "So, you're new? Or just passing through?"

"I'm new, just moved here a few days ago. It's that obvious?" Clarke chuckled at Lexa, who instantly loved the sound of Clarke's laugh.

"Pretty obvious yeah, but only because it's such a small town, so we all just kind of know each other" Lexa watched Clarke's lips move as she spoke. Her white teeth shining brightly against her light pink lips. Lexa noticed the beauty spot just above her top lip, to the right. Clarke watched Lexa's green eyes drop to her lips as she answered the brunette's question. Clarke cleared her throat, effectively bringing Lexa's attention back to her eye level. She smirked to herself after seeing Lexa's cheeks glistening a light shade of pink, clearly embarrassed. "Are you looking for anything in particular?" Clarke asked Lexa, who seemed to be shifting uncomfortably on her feet.

"Erm, yeah actually. A DIY store, if you have one?"

"Yes! It's just down the road, about 50 yards up on the right" Clarke smiled as she pointed in the opposite direction of where Lexa was headed.

"Brilliant! Thankyou, Clarke" Lexa smiled warmly at Clarke, who couldn't help but grin in reply at Lexa. They bid farewell and walked in opposite directions. Lexa instantly feeling her body fighting against her the further she walked away from Clarke. She quickly turned her head, seeing Clarke's shoulder length blonde hair swaying in the distance. As soon as her eyes set on Clarke, her wolf growled from deep down. Lexa shook her head and began walking again, pushing her wolf away.

Clarke felt a strange feeling wash over her as she watched Lexa walking away from her. It was as if she wanted to follow her. Like there was a magnetic energy pulling her, willing her to follow Lexa. She didn't of course. Instead she carried on, making sure she didn't look back in case she caved in to her desires. She breathed in deeply, loving the sweet smell of the sea hit her nostrils. Her excitement grew with each step she took, knowing she would soon see her oldest friend.

Raven's bar looked fantastic from a distance. It looked great up close too, but the walk up to it was truly beautiful. The backdrop of the blue ocean water contrasted brilliantly against the newly painted white walls of the bar. It was left to her after Raven's mother passed away from cancer last year, around the same time Clarke lost her father. Raven and Clarke had been best friends pretty much all of their lives. They were practically inseparable whilst growing up, before Clarke left for college a few years ago.

As she got closer, Clarke could see Raven cleaning the outside of the windows, clearly from the night before.

"Ray Ray!" Raven turned, seeing Clarke running towards her, arms wide open.

"Blondie!" Raven dropped the wet cloth from her hands and ran towards Clarke, immediately wrapping her arms around her best friend. "When did you get back?!"

"Late last night, my mom wanted to see me first" Raven smiled and nodded in reply, before almost dragging Clarke into the bar. "Look!"

Clarke stood completely dumbfounded at the sight before her. Raven began chuckling at her friends reaction. The latina had made sure to finish the renovations for when Clarke returned from college, wanting to surprise her.

"Raven, it looks amazing!" Clarke spoke slowly as she walked through the lightly lit bar. There were tall glass panels lining the back wall, showing off the amazing views of the ocean. The walls were painted a light shade of baby blue, contrasting with the colour of the sea. Pictures lined the surrounding walls, mostly of Raven and her mother but some of Clarke and her family. The blonde felt tears welling up as she looked up at her favourite picture of her and her father. Both of them had wide smiles on their faces as Clarke held up a large trout. Her first ever fish she caught with her dad. She couldn't have been more than 10 years old. Clarke still remembered the trip as if it were yesterday.

"He was so proud of you" Raven stated softly from next to Clarke as she too looked at the picture.

"I'm so proud of you!" Clarke almost shouted as she turned and punched Raven in the arm. "It's like a different bar! Your mom would be proud, Ray"

"Jeez, this is getting emotional. Wanna drink?" Raven asked as she rounded the bar, handing Clarke a beer as she nodded and sat on one of the bar stools. "So, you met anyone yet Clarkie?"

"Why do you ask?"

"Well, if you haven't, there's this great guy who's just moved here. His name's Blake and he lives down the road from your mom's house, believe it or not!" Raven replied with a toothy grin plastered on her face. Clarke simply shook her head in disbelief as she took a large swig of her beer. For some unknown reason, Lexa's face popped into Clarke's head as she digested her friends information. Raven couldn't help but notice the tiniest of smiles creeping onto Clarke's face. "Oh my god! You have met someone, haven't you?!" Raven's voice echoed through the empty building as she practically jumped over the bar, landing on the stool next to Clarke's.

"No! Well, I don't know, ok?! Raven, I've not been here five minutes yet and you're already interrogating me". Luckily, Raven didn't have chance to reply as Clarke's phone began ringing. The Latina excused herself as she began tidying the bar, getting it ready for the lunch time rush, leaving Clarke to answer her call. As if on cue, Finn, Raven's long term boyfriend came bursting through the main entrance of the bar.

"I'm sorry I'm late, babe! My dad had me working overtime at the lumber yard. I swear, he's trying to kill me!" Raven smirked at her boyfriend as he came dashing through the bar, barreling towards her, not even noticing Clarke. His long shaggy hair pulled up in a tight pony tail, highlighting his strong jaw line, covered in black stubble. Finn was perfect for Raven. They really were a match made in heaven. Whenever she would get hot headed, he would be there to calm her down. And she would always push him to be his best. She watched him as he dodged the chairs and tables, his baggy plaid shirt swaying against his body.

He planted himself in front of Raven, smiling widely as he gently kissed her. "Hi" he whispered as he pulled away.

"Hi, back" She whispered. Raven tugged his shirt, twisting his body in the direction of Clarke.

"Well, look who it is!" Finn shouted giddily as he practically jumped across the floor, picking Clarke up with little to no effort. Luckily, she had finished her phone call. The blonde cried out in excitement at seeing her long time friend.

"Hiiii!" She screeched in delight as he placed her back on solid ground. "You're looking as scruffy as ever!" Clarke laughed as she pulled on his pony tail.

"Well, I've got a reputation to keep, Griffin" Finn grinned at his own words as he took in Clarke's features, as if he had to memorise them once again after not seeing her for so long. It had felt like years. Finn and Clarke had always been close. Her father and Finn's were best friends, so naturally they had become close whilst growing up. Then, Raven moved into town and the three of them had become inseparable. It hadn't bothered Clarke when Raven and Finn became an item. Actually, she was over the moon for them. She had always seen Finn as her brother, so for him to find happiness with Raven only made Clarke happier.

"As good as it has been to see you guys, I've got to get going. Places to be and all that!" Clarke scoffed at her own words as she made her way towards the bar's entrance.

"Hey, we'd better see you tonight!" Raven shouted.

"Wouldn't miss it!" Clarke shouted back as she closed the door behind her, instantly feeling the hot Wisconsin summer air hit her face. Clarke took a deep breath in before setting off back in the direction she had come previously, instantly regretting not driving this morning. The heat of Bayfield was something she hadn't missed when she was at College. After a few minutes of walking, she noticed a familiar looking brunette in the distance, trying and failing to open her tailgate. Clarke chuckled to herself as she crossed the road, never taking her eyes away from Lexa.


	2. Chapter 2

Lexa felt almost giddy as she walked down the aisles of the DIY store. Unfortunately, she had left her best tools behind in Nebraska. Her father owned a company which specialized in the making of wooden furniture, hand made of course. So, Lexa had decided to take over his business when he passed away five years ago. It was tricky at first, but she got there and now she loved it more than anything. After picking the necessary tools, she thanked the shop keeper and left the store, with two large bags full of everything she needed to get the business back up and running. Lexa just about managed to peel her car keys from her back pocket, and was now struggling getting the tailgate open. Just as she was about to put the bags down, a familiar voice startled her from behind, resulting in both bags flying out of her hands and the tools sprawling out on the side walk.

"Oh shit! Here, let me help you!" Clarke exclaimed as she witnessed Lexa practically jump a mile and all of her tools fly everywhere. Clarke quickly scanned the tools, her eyes widening at the volume and variety. "You're not a murderer, are you?"

Lexa looked up in surprise at her question, but soon began laughing at Clarke's quizical face. "No, don't worry" Lexa simply stated as she too began picking up her tools.

Clarke let out a sigh of relief after all of the tools were safely stored away in their bags in the back of Lexa's truck. The brunette couldn't help but notice a thin layer of sweat forming at the top of Clarke's hair line. Her chest heaving up and down. "You okay there?" She asked Clarke as the blonde wiped her forehead.

"It's hotter than I remember" Clarke all but breathed out. Lexa couldn't quite tell if she was talking to herself or not so she simply nodded in response, closing the tailgate as she did so.

"Well, thankyou again, Clarke. Do you need a lift anywhere?"

Clarke looked into Lexa's eyes as she spoke, seeing nothing but kindness behind them. "Actually, yes if you don't mind". Clarke smiled in reply as Lexa guided her to the passenger side door of the truck. Once they were both tucked nicely into their seats, Lexa started the engine and pulled out onto the main road. "You're not going to murder me though, are you?"

Lexa once again looked over at Clarke, a large grin on her face as she shook her head in reply.

"Ok, good! What do you actually do then, if you don't mind me asking".

"I don't mind. I make furniture, from wood. So, I have all the tools, now all I need is the wood. I left my best tools back home". Clarke watched Lexa intently as she spoke. She watched as her jaw contracted. How her small nose sloped perfectly. How her plump lips moved as the words flowed from them. Clarke shook her head at herself.

"Where did you move from?"

"Nebraska"

"Wow! You're a long way from home!" Lexa let out a small chuckle at Clarke's surprised facial expression.

"Yeah we...it was just the right thing to do" Clarke didn't miss Lexa's obvious slip up. She knew the brunette was hiding something. Before she could reply, Lexa stopped the truck by the side of the road, causing Clarke's heart rate to increase rapidly.

"What are we..."

"Don't worry, I just don't know where we're going, Clarke" Lexa, once again, began laughing at Clarke's bewildered face. She saw Clarke's eyes darting from the window next to her back to Lexa's amused face.

"I'm sorry, I'm so stupid! Erm, OK, it's down there. And then take the next right" Lexa nodded her head, whilst turning the steering wheel to the left, putting them back on the open road. The drive was surprisingly comfortable, even though neither of them spoke again. Clarke too embarrassed by her own stupidity, whilst Lexa focused all her attention on the road.

After a few minutes, Clarke ordered Lexa to stop the truck. She looked out of the passenger side window in confusement as Clarke grinned at her expression.

"Bayfield Lumber Works. You live here?" Lexa asked, completely bewildered.

"No, but a friend does" Clarke opened the door and hopped out of the truck, making sure to turn around just in time. "And, I thought you needed wood" Lexa felt the realization wash over her as she watched Clarke walk down the pathway, turning around and encouraging Lexa to follow her, which she did.

Clarke burst through the back gate, leading into the large courtyard of the lumber works, instantly recognizing her old friend. "Craig!" She shrieked as she sprinted across the yard, heading directly into Craig's open arms.

"Hey Munchkin, how you doin'? Finn didn't tell me you were back"

"He didn't know either, how are you?!" Clarke stepped down and took in Craig's worn features. His short hair was now looking more grey than it was black.

"I'm not too bad, what brings you here?"

"Well my friend is in need of some wood. Think you can help her out?"

Lexa had tentatively followed Clarke through the gates and witnessed the whole encounter between the blonde and the oldish looking man. She watched as Clarke turned around and pointed at her, beckoning her over with a smile.

"Craig, this is Lexa. Lexa this is Craig"

"Any friend of Clarke's is a friend of mine. Nice to meet you, Lexa" He held his hand out for Lexa to take, which she warily did. Her recent dealings with humans hadn't been the best and Lexa certainly wasn't going to trust someone as easily as she once had done. Although, for some strange reason, Lexa had no doubts when it came to Clarke. Even though she had only met her less than an hour ago.

"So, you need some wood?"

"Yeah, if you don't mind" Lexa smiled warmly at Craig as he walked towards his office, followed closely by Clarke who had taken it upon herself to speak on behalf of Lexa.

"Lexa makes her own furniture out of wood, how cool is that!"

"That is impressive. Not many people can do that. I presume you had a good teacher?" Craig lifted his glasses from his head, placing them gently on the counter whilst Lexa followed Clarke and stood next to her. Clarke instantly felt the heat radiating from Lexa's body as she stood by her.

"Yes, my father taught me. He owned his own business back in Nebraska" Clarke could tell that Lexa spoke proudly of her father. She wondered whether he was something to do with her moving away. Lexa was certainly intriguing her.

"Nebraska huh? Your father's company, it wasn't Wood's Furniture Co. was it?"

"Yes, you know it?" Lexa furrowed her brows as she spoke, taking a small step backwards, just in case she needed to make a quick getaway. It wasn't every day you drive two states to escape your past and find someone who knows you in a small dead end town.

"Your dad was a very talented man. I was in Nebraska once, about ten years ago when I came across his store. I'm sorry to hear of his passing, Lexa. If it's any consolation, if you're anywhere near as talented as he was, you're going places" Craig smiled kindly at Lexa as he took out a pen and began writing in his ledger.

"I'm sorry, Lexa". Clarke whispered into Lexa's ear as she too took a step back, so she was once again stood next to the brunette. Lexa relaxed ever so slightly when she felt Clarke brushing up against her. She turned her head, looking directly into Clarke's blue eyes, discovering the pain hidden behind them. You would only ever see it if you were really looking for it. "I'm sorry too" Lexa whispered back, surprising Clarke. Their intense moment was cut short when Craig announced he would be delivering the wood to Lexa's cabin in the next few days. Lexa wrote down her address for Craig and bid farewell, hastily making her way back to her truck. Her wolf once again protested, but she pushed her away. She waited patiently for Clarke to return, which she did a few minutes later.

"I'm sorry, I was just saying good-bye. Craig is my friends dad. So he's like a second dad to me" Clarke stated as she wrapped the seat belt around her front, then signaled for Lexa to set off. "How did you know?" Clarke asked after a few awkwardly silent minutes. Lexa took a deep breath inwardly before replying.

"I could see it in your eyes. The pain"

"You've got to be the most observant person I've met. Even my friends at college don't know yet and I've been there over a year" Clarke admitted without thinking. She diverted her attention away from Lexa and on the passing scenery out of her window.

"What are you studying?"

"I'm in medical school. Hoping to become a doctor one day"

"Impressive" Clarke could tell that Lexa spoke with honesty in her voice, bringing a smile to her face. She looked back over at Lexa who also had a tiny smile on her lips. "So, what are you doing back? If my calculations are correct, the semester is still ongoing?" Lexa asked with intrigue evident in her tone.

"I'm here for work experience. My mom works at the local research facility about ten miles west of here. Perks of having a mom as a doctor. Enough about me, you can't be older than 25 so why move out here in the middle of nowhere to make furniture?" Clarke couldn't tell if she was more surprised by her own question or if Lexa was. She immediately squeezed her eyes shut in embarrassment at her blatant attempt of flirting with the brunette. Lexa took a quick peak at Clarke from the corner of her eye and saw the blonde shake her head, obviously at her own words. Lexa chuckled to herself before replying.

"Well, it's a long story, but the gist of it is that I wanted to get away from my past. So me and my...family, if you could call them that, all moved out here in the hope of starting over. And, I love making furniture, so why not move right next to one of the largest national forrests in all of America".

"That makes sense" Clarke replied, whilst looking at Lexa as she maneuvered the heavy truck, parking it just outside of Clarke's mothers house. Lexa looked out of her window at what she could only describe as a small mansion. It was a lovely L shaped, wooden house with a large deck area in the middle surrounded by small plants, with the front door situated in the center of the deck.

"This is beautiful, Clarke. The wood work is brilliant". Clarke laughed out loud as she saw Lexa ogling over her mom's house. Lexa, in turn, looked back at Clarke's amused expression on her face and couldn't help but laugh with her.

"What? I can't help but express myself when I see something beautiful" Lexa stated as she looked from Clarke's blue eyes, to her lips and then back to her eyes.

Smooth. Clarke thought to herself as she felt the heat creeping up her neck, lining her cheeks in embarrassment. She inhaled sharply before breaking eye contact with Lexa and hopping down from the truck. Before she shut the door, she looked back at Lexa expectantly, "I'm going to be at Raven's bar down at the harbor later tonight, if you fancy popping in" Lexa smiled at Clarke as she bid good-bye and trotted up to the front door, stopping momentarily to wave at Lexa as she pulled out of the long drive way.

"O, you there?" Lexa asked mentally as she drove back to her cabin in the woods.

"Hey Lex! What you doing?" Octavia was just about to put the pie she was making into the oven when she heard her sister speaking telepathically. Lincoln, who also was in on their conversation seeing as though him and Octavia were mated, sat silently at the counter reading a book, ironically, about wolves.

"I'm on my way home. I was just wondering if you guys were still going out tonight? To that bar down at the harbor?"

Octavia looked over at Lincoln, who had turned his attention away from his book and was grinning at Octavia. He nodded his head furiously making Octavia chuckle before she replied to Lexa.

"Yep, we're still going. Aiming for sevenish, so if you're interested we will see you then".

"Good to know, thanks guys!" Lexa mentally replied to her sister, just as she turned onto her long grassy driveway.


	3. Chapter 3

Raven's bar was positively buzzing by the time Lexa arrived. She walked through the double doors, receiving a few whistles from the slimy looking men from across the street. Lexa ignored them and continued to walk into the bar, which from what she could tell was full of all different kinds of people. There was a mix of old and young people, which was quite refreshing to see.

"Lexa!" Bellamy called from across the bar. She looked over to see Bellamy standing on his chair, waving like a mad man whilst Emma tried her best to drag him down. Along side Emma sat Octavia and Lincoln who both grinned from ear to ear after seeing Lexa walk in. She made her way over to their table situated by one of the large glass windows overlooking the ocean.

Bellamy hopped off his chair, instantly wrapping his strong arms around Lexa's waist, hoisting her up into the air and spinning her around. She let out a loud laugh as she felt her body being lifted in the air. "Bell!" She shrieked out.

Lexa playfully punched Bellamy's arm as he placed her back on the floor. He grinned widely whilst he pulled up a chair for her to sit at.

"I'm glad you came, Lex" Emma smiled warmly at Lexa as she spoke.

"Me too. It's nice here"

"It sure is, Lex!" Lincoln stated as he kissed the top of her head. "You want a beer?"

"Oh god, yes please!" She replied gleefully. "So, what's the gossip?" Lexa asked Octavia and Emma as she scanned the bar, hoping to find a certain blonde.

"Well, the people here all seem friendly to be honest. Which is nice for a change" Emma stated before she took a sip of her wine. Lexa always liked Emma and her chilled out demeanor. Bellamy was certainly lucky to have her. Not only was she calm and collected for a werewolf, but she was also beautiful. She had long dirty blonde hair flowing down her back, contrasting nicely against her slightly tanned skin. Her blue/grey eyes were somewhat mesmerizing when you looked into them. Bellamy leaned over and kissed her lightly on her cheek as he reached across for his beer bottle, not realizing it was already empty. Octavia watched her goofy brother and laughed when his face scrunched up in disappointment after realizing he had already finished his drink. Lexa watched on in amusement as Bellamy shook his head at himself, his long black curly locks swaying as he did so.

"Here we go" Lincoln breathed out as he handed everyone their drinks before sitting down beside Octavia.

"Cheers, guys!" Octavia lifted her glass signalling everyone to follow her lead.

"Cheers!" They all stated in unison, before Lexa took a large swig of her beer, feeling the gloriously cool liquid hit the back of her throat, before gliding down effortlessly.

After a good thirty minutes of drinking and sharing old stories, it was Lexa's turn to buy the next round. Just as Bellamy asked a rather risque question, Lexa raised her hands in surrender as she backed away from the table towards the bar, ignoring Lincoln and Bellamy's howl of laughter echoing off the bar walls.

Lexa hadn't noticed the Latina girl behind the bar before now. She can't have been older than 21, probably around the same age as Clarke. At the thought of the mysterious blonde from earlier today, Lexa scanned the bar quickly, however sighed disappointingly after finding she wasn't here and instead focused on the dark colored girl tending to the hordes of drunkards.

As Lexa waited patiently for the barmaid to make her way over to her, a tall man came and stood next to her, clearing his throat in the meantime. Lexa could smell the alcohol and cigarettes lacing his sweaty skin, making her nose shrivel up against her face. That was one of the downsides of having heightened senses - she could always smell the worst smells first.

Lexa hoped the stranger wasn't about to do what she thought he was, "Can I buy you a drink?" She sighed as she turned her head slightly towards the smelly man. "I'm good, thank you though"

"So what are you doing at the bar then?" Lexa didn't miss how he moved closer to her, invading her space. She clenched her jaw, biting back a snarky remark. The last thing any of them needed was to be making a scene on their first proper night in town. Lexa stood her ground, not wanting to give this man any kind of satisfaction. Instead, she turned her body to look directly into his clearly drunken blood shot eyes, which were now scanning her entire body as if she was a piece of meat, sending a wave of anger through her. Enough to wake her inner wolf. Lexa willed her wolf to stay calm as she took in the drunken man's attire. His dark features would make anyone scared if they crossed his path down a dark alley. A full length tattoo sleeve donned his right arm, leading up to curl around the back of his neck. Lexa noticed his mouth turn up into a smirk, showing off a gold tooth, as he saw her scan his tattooed arm.

"Like what you see?"

Lexa huffed in annoyance, "Not really no, and for your information, I'm buying me and my friends drinks" She made a point of waving her hand towards her pack sat at their table, who had clearly picked up on Lexa's anger. Bellamy had risen from his seat, watching intently, ready to pounce if needed. That was certainly her favorite thing about being in a pack. No matter where you were or who you were with, your pack mates came first and they would back you up under any circumstances.

"Greg!" Lexa's ears pricked up as she heard that familiar husky voice sound out across the bar. "What the hell are you doing?!"

Clarke came striding towards Lexa, wearing tight black jeans, a skin tight black tank top with a baggy blue flannel floating behind her. The brunette was completely mesmerized by this blonde beauty that she hadn't noticed her usher the drunken man away, and was now standing directly in front of Lexa with a smile playing at her lips. Clarke bit the bottom of her lip as she watched Lexa's mouth gaping open. She took this opportunity to push Lexa to her limits. The blonde lifted her hand, gently tucking a strand of hair behind Lexa's right ear, effectively bringing Lexa back to reality.

Lexa shook her head in disbelief at what had just happened, "Erm, hi! Thanks for getting rid of that guy"

"No worries" Clarke stated shaking her head, "He's harmless, but annoying. Raven!" Lexa followed Clarke's hand as she waved the bar maid over to them.

"Blondie to the rescue I see?" Raven spoke with amusement evident in her voice as she raised her eyebrows towards Clarke, who simply laughed in response. "Hey, I'm Raven" Lexa watched as the Latina girl leaned over the bar, holding her hand out for Lexa to take. The brunette took a hold of Raven's hand and smiled in response, before furrowing her eyebrows confusedly at Clarke.

"Ray, this is Lexa. I met her earlier today. Lexa, this is Raven, she's the owner of the bar"

"That's impressive, how old are you like 12?" Lexa laughed along with Clarke as she spoke.

"Oh what a charmer. I like her already, Clarke. And to answer your question, I'm 21" Raven winked at Lexa as she produced two Budweiser's, flicking the tops off with ease before setting them down on the bar. Clarke lifted her bottle towards Lexa who clinked the top of hers with Clarke's. The blonde made sure to keep eye contact with Lexa as she took a small swig from the bottle, lightly licking her lips afterwards.

Clarke smirked at Lexa's bemused expression, "So, those are your friends?" Clarke tilted her head in the direction of Lexa's pack mates. "Yeah, that's half of them. That's Bellamy, Emma, Octavia and Lincoln" Clarke followed Lexa's hand as she pointed to each of her friends, noticing how they all smiled brightly in return. She raised her bottle in salute before focusing her attention back on Lexa, who seemed to be staring strangely at Clarke.

"What?" Clarke asked amused.

"Nothing, you just look really good" Lexa cursed herself mentally as she heard the words leave her mouth. She knew she was going to get bullied for that comment later. Luckily, Clarke didn't seem phased by the comment, but instead laughed at Lexa's reaction to her own choice of words. Just as Lexa was about to speak, Clarke jumped up from her stool, slamming her beer bottle down on the bar. "Ohhh, I love this song! Come and dance with me!"

As Lexa was about to protest, Clarke latched onto her hand, effectively dragging her towards the dance floor. Lexa snapped her head back to her friends, who all gave her a thumbs up in encouragement. She simply rolled her eyes and went with it, letting Clarke lead her to where she wanted her to go. Thinking about it, she would most likely let Clarke lead her anywhere and she would still follow. Lexa's inner wolf jumped with joy as she felt Lexa give in.

Clarke abruptly turned, causing Lexa to crash into her front. Ignoring their close proximity, Clarke grabbed hold of Lexa's other hand and stepped backwards, encouraging her to dance with her. The blonde swayed her hips to Jessie Ware's melodic voice, raising her head and singing along in her own husky voice, causing Lexa's heart to skip a beat at hearing Clarke's beautiful singing voice. Lexa twirled Clarke's body around, spinning her until Clarke stumbled over, laughing in the process, making Lexa chuckle. She could feel herself letting go with Clarke completely. The heavy weight on her chest gradually lifting with every melodic sound Clarke produced.

Jessie Ware's song finished, leaving them idly swaying on the dancefloor. Clarke pulled Lexa closer to her as she heard the next song playing, a little bit more risque than the previous soft indie record. Clarke guessed she had Raven to thank for this one.

Lexa felt herself being pulled flush against Clarke's front, their faces just inches away from each other. The blonde gently led Lexa's hands down to her sides, resting them against her waist, as her own hands trailed up Lexa's back and linked behind her neck. Lexa could feel Clarke's hot breath ghost against her lips, sending a wave of heat down her spine. Their bodies seemed to mold into one as they slowly grinded against one another to the beat of the music. Clarke was surprised by her own actions. She had never felt anything like this before, the raw need to be so close to someone, to want someone like she wanted Lexa. Especially considering she barely knew anything about the girl.

Lexa felt a low grumble through her chest as her inner wolf came to life with the new contact of being so close to someone. Clarke's hooded eyes shot open at the growl Lexa produced, causing Lexa to panic. She instantly halted their movements, latching onto Clarke's hips harder than before, and twisted them around so the blonde's back was flush against Lexa's front. Clarke moaned in delight at the change in position, grinding back harder against Lexa's front, causing Lexa to groan. Clarke brought her left hand up behind them both, grabbing a fistful of Lexa's brown locks, pulling her down closer to her, wanting Lexa as close as possible. The brunette gently moved Clarke's hair from her neck, nuzzling her nose into the soft skin. The feeling of Lexa's hot breath against her neck sent goosebumps flying across Clarke's body.

"Clarke" Lexa whispered softly into the blonde's ear, as she felt Clarke's right hand interlock with Lexa's own.

Clarke tilted her head back slightly and whispered, "Take me away"

"You're playing with fire, Clarke" The blonde snapped out of her trance like state after hearing Lexa's words. She stopped her movements, removing her fingers from Lexa's and taking a step away from the other girl, who stood still looking at Clarke in complete bewilderment.

"Come on" Without another word, Clarke led Lexa out of the bar and down the main street towards the beautifully lit harbor, surrounded by various sized boats. They stopped just by the docks, with Clarke standing proudly in front of a sheepish looking Lexa. Clarke could clearly see Lexa's graceful facial features with the luminous light of the moon shining down just at the right angle. Her green eyes popped against the thin line of eyeliner Lexa had adorned along with just the right amount of mascara. Her plump lips were glistening a light shade of pink.

"You're beautiful" Clarke almost breathed out, just loud enough for Lexa to hear her. "Oh my god. Do you see what you do to me, Lexa?!" Clarke lifted her hands up in frustration as she turned away from a confused Lexa. The brunette took a step towards Clarke, grabbing onto the blonde's wrist, effectively spinning her around so her blue eyes met green. Clarke's heart melted at the look of pure vulnerability and concern etched across Lexa's face. She inhaled sharply, "I just feel this pull towards you. I don't know what it is, but I'm not usually like this. I mean I don't go around dancing and blatantly flirting with the first person I lay eyes on" Lexa could sense Clarke's discomfort radiating from her, so decided to release some relaxing pheromones, hoping to calm the blonde down a bit. One of the many perks of being a werewolf. It seemed to do the trick, as Lexa watched Clarke take a deep breath. She heard the blonde's heart rate decreased ever so slightly.

"Clarke, it's OK"

"No, it's not. You must think I'm crazy" Lexa chuckled lightly as she shook her head in disagreement at Clarke's words, who looked up into Lexa's eyes almost expectantly, then she averted her gaze to Lexa's slightly parted lips. The brunettes stomach began doing somersaults as she watched Clarke slowly close the distance between them, licking her lips lightly in anticipation. Clarke stopped and lifted her eyes up to meet Lexa's, almost as if asking for permission. She gently cupped Lexa's cheek, brushing her thumb over it as she waited for any kind of hesitation from Lexa, who simply nodded her head once and closed the distance herself by grabbing the back of Clarke's neck.

The moment their lips touched for the first time sent goosebumps swimming across Clarke's skin. She had never felt so alive, so full of energy. She wouldn't be surprised if passers by would be able to see electricity volts flying between. Lexa deepened the kiss by placing her left hand on Clarke's hips, pulling her impossibly close, never wanting to part from her. Her wolf was dancing with utter joy as she felt her heart skipping with pure blissfulness. Something Lexa hadn't felt since Costia.

Clarke pulled back slightly, gasping for air as her chest heaved up and down. "Wow" She breathed out against Lexa's lips, who simply hummed in agreement and brushed her nose against Clarke's. "Are you sure we haven't met before?" Lexa laughed aloud at Clarke's words, causing the blonde to grin from ear to ear before she crashed her lips against Lexa's, pushing her tongue out against Lexa's bottom lip. The kiss turned rather passionate, lasting for a good few minutes before again Clarke had to pull back for air.

Lexa, completely mesmerized by this girl in front of her, raised her hand and placed it gently against Clarke's cheek, looking between her blue eyes. "Are you hungry?" Clarke nodded her head as Lexa took hold of her hand and led her back to the bar, where her truck resided. She opened the passenger's side door and once again held her hand out to help Clarke climb in. The blonde thanked her for being such a gentlewoman, and began cackling in laughter as she watched Lexa bow before her.

"Wait here" Lexa ordered Clarke as she shut the door and ran across the road and into the corner store.

Clarke turned the radio on, sifting through the stations until she found a good song. She let out a content sigh as she heard her favorite cover of 'Wicked Game' by James Vincent McMorrow. As she got carried away with singing along to the song, Clarke hadn't even noticed Lexa approaching from the opposite side of the road, two large bags in hand. The brunette placed them in the back of her truck, before she climbed into the driver's seat, causing Clarke to jump slightly when the door shut.

"Don't mind me, carry on" Lexa stated whilst smiling widely at Clarke as she did indeed continue singing.

'I'd never dreamed I'd meet somebody like you. Now, I wanna fall in love, I wanna fall in love with you, with you' Clarke made sure to make eye contact with Lexa as she finished off the song, grinning at Lexa's blushing cheeks.

Lexa cleared her throat as she tore her gaze away from Clarke's cheeky blue eyes, "Right, lets get going" Lexa pulled the truck out of the car park and headed towards the highway.

"Sure you're not going to murder me in the middle of nowhere?" Clarke asked, amusement lacing her voice as she realized she had no idea where Lexa was taking her.

"I promise. It's not much further, just down this dirt path" Lexa stated as she pulled the truck to the right, off the main road and down a bumpy dirt road. The brunette smiled at Clarke's bewildered expression as she checked her wing mirror before turning the truck around, so it was facing the path they had just come down. She made sure to leave the side lights on so they could see a little bit of something. "Come on" Lexa nudged Clarke with her elbow before exiting the car. She walked around to the tailgate, opening it and dragging the bags out. Clarke watched her as Lexa produced a couple of pillows and a large red blanket from one of the bags.

"Where in the world did you get those?" Clarke asked, genuinely intrigued, causing Lexa to chuckle and shrug her shoulders in reply. After Lexa had laid the pillows and blankets out in the back of her truck, she walked around and stood in front of Clarke, placing both hands on her hips before lifting her off the ground and placing her gently on the tailgate. Clarke laughed in surprise, "Ooo, wasn't expecting that!"

They chuckled in unison as Lexa made herself comfortable next to Clarke. She almost forgot the other bag, "Ohh, wait! I got food too. Now, don't be disappointed, because I didn't have a clue what you like"

Clarke smiled as she took the bag from Lexa, making sure to graze her fingers as she lifted it from Lexa's hands. She looked into the bag, shocked at the amount that Lexa had bought, "You didn't know what I liked, so you decided to buy the entire store?!"

"Well, a girl's gotta be prepared" Lexa laughed at Clarke's shocked expression, which soon turned to mischievous as she watched her blue eyes dart down to her awaiting lips. They went on to eat the entire contents of the bag, laughing and joking as they shared stories with one another. Clarke opened up about the death of her father, letting Lexa know that he was killed two years ago and they were yet to find out who or what killed him. Lexa, in turn, told Clarke about how her father died from a brain tumour five years prior. She, however, didn't mention Costia, thinking that was a conversation for another time. Lexa hadn't felt this content in years, even with Costia. Yes, she was in love with Costia, and her death almost broke her, but Lexa had accepted her loss for what it was.

Clarke saw Lexa drift off into her own head, "Kiss me"

Lexa breathed out, "As you wish" as she closed the distance between them, bringing their lips together in a passionate kiss. Clarke dropped the bag and pushed up so she was now straddling Lexa, whose hands found their place against Clarke's hips, squeezing them slightly. The blonde brought both hands up and placed them on either side of Lexa's face, pushing her tongue out, gently caressing Lexa's bottom lip, begging for entrance. Lexa opened her mouth, granting Clarke access, bringing their tongues together in a fiery dance.

Clarke ground her hips down onto Lexa's, producing a moan to escape her lips. Lexa snapped back to reality after hearing the delightful sound that was Clarke's moans. She pulled her head back, instantly being met by Clarke's concerned eyes boring into her own.

"I'm sorry, Lexa. Was that too much?" Clarke all but whispered as she began climbing off from the brunette's lap.

"It's not that. I just...I'm not..."

Clarke gently placed her hand atop of Lexa's as she spoke softly, "It's ok"

Lexa's heart swelled, her wolf feeling content at the simple gesture. Looking into Clarke's deep blue eyes, it was as if Lexa had known her for years, not less than 24 hours. She had to tear her gaze away from Clarke, her feelings were completely overwhelming her, not to mention the tiniest change of the scent in the air, only noticeable to those with acute senses.

Clarke watched Lexa intently as her nose scrunched up slightly and her brows furrowed together, but before she could comment, Lexa was up on her feet and down on solid ground. Clarke barely had time to blink, let alone speak before she felt Lexa's hand gently guide her off the back of her truck.

"It's getting pretty cold. Would you like me to take you home?"

Clarke furrowed her brows at the brunette. If this wasn't the definition of whiplash, she didn't know what was. "Erm, yeah?"

Lexa simply nodded in reply, going to open the passenger's door once again for the blonde, missing the look of despair on Clarke's face.


	4. Chapter 4

Are you sure?" Lexa rolled her eyes for the hundredth time.

"Yes! Anya, I'm sure. There was something out in the woods last night, and it wasn't human" Anya watched Lexa stride back and forth in her front room, using her fingers to rub soothingly at her pounding head. Ever since she dropped Clarke off at her house last night her head hadn't stopped throbbing. It was strange to say the least.

"What's the matter, Lexa?" The brunette stopped her pacing and turned to face her now concerned Alpha.

"I don't know, Anya. My heads been hurting all night and I can't shake this feeling. I can't make out what it is. Maybe a mixture of excitement and dread? God, I sound like a maniac" Lexa huffed out whilst dramatically falling backwards against the sofa as she held her head in her hands. Anya let out a tiny chuckle as she sat down gently next to her Beta. "Well, I'm glad you find this amusing, Anya"

"I don't, Lexa. But you must realize the reason behind this feeling, surely?"

"What in God's name are you twittering on about?" Anya raised her eyebrows at Lexa's response.

"Let me guess. You've had that headache since last night?"

Lexa rolled her eyes, "Well yeah, I already told you that"

"And your wolf has been making more of an appearance lately?"

"Yeah, I guess she's been more vocal. What are you getting at?" Lexa was intrigued now. She lifted her head and faced Anya's smirking face. Something was clearly amusing the older girl, causing Lexa great distress. "Alright, just spit it out Anya"

"You've found your mate"

Now this had to be some kind of joke. Lexa had her mate. Costia. And she died. Anya picked up on the turmoil within Lexa's forest green eyes. She didn't have to be a supernatural being in order to do that. She carefully lifted her hand and placed it gently on Lexa's thigh in comfort.

"Your love for Costia was evident. To us all, Lexa. And trust me, it hurt us all when she died"

Lexa inwardly cringed at the thought of Costia's death.

"But, she wasn't your mate. Yes, you loved her and so did your wolf, but I think we both know the truth"

Lexa rose from her seated position, making her way slowly towards the large bay window at the front of the sitting room. Could it be true? That Costia wasn't her mate. Anya speaks true, Lexa did love Costia. But when she is in the company of Clarke, nothing else exists. Nothing else matters apart from Clarke. Realization dawned on Lexa like a punch to the gut. She felt guilty beyond words. Costia doesn't deserve this.

"No, Lexa, don't do this" Anya was now stood opposite Lexa, having picked up on the guilty pheromones her Beta was letting go. "Costia would not want this. If she were still with us, she would have let you go. She knew herself that she was not your mate".

"How do you know that? You can't be sure" Lexa was now once again facing Anya.

"I do know, Lexa. Costia told me. She wanted you to be happy. And the same would apply now"

Lexa couldn't think, let alone speak. Even if Clarke was her mate, she had no idea what Lexa truly was. How are you supposed to tell anyone that?!

"Are you ready to talk about her?" Anya pushed out her most calming pheromones in hope to calm the Beta down enough for her to utter a sentence. She guided Lexa back to the sofa and encouraged her to sit.

"She's..." Lexa shook her head and let out an exaggerated sigh.

"It's OK, take your time" Anya encouraged.

"It's not that, Anya. I could list all of the things I like about her until I'm blue in the face"

Anya furrowed her brows in confusion, but waited for Lexa to continue.

"She's a...human. And I'm pretty sure she doesn't know that we exist"

The silence was deafening. Lexa avoided Anya's intense stare as she began picking at the skin on her fingers. Why couldn't her mate be a werewolf like everyone else. Why does it have to be so difficult for her. Why couldn't everything be simple for once in her life.

"Well, that certainly changes the dynamics" Anya stated coolly as she leant back against the soft cushions.

Lexa snapped her head around to look at her Alpha, who looked deep in thought. "Wait! You're not mad?" Anya simply laughed lightly and shook her head before responding.

"Of course not! How could I be mad at you for something that is out of our control? Listen, finding your mate is one of the best things that could happen to our kind. Some werewolves never find them, and die before they even have the chance. I suppose each of us are now just as lucky as each other" Anya had a smile playing on her lips as she watched Lexa digest the information.

"How come we haven't had this conversation before, Anya?" Lexa asked tentatively.

"Well, because for starters I knew you were yet to discover your mate. And secondly, I didn't want you to be constantly worrying about not finding them. Just because one doesn't find their mate, doesn't mean they can't have a happy and full life". Anya's words were soothing to Lexa's ears. Even though there was still the problem of Clarke being a human.

"The connection is so strong, Anya. I've never felt anything like it. And I can't be 100% sure, obviously, but I think Clarke feels the connection too"

"Well it isn't uncommon for werewolves to fall in love with humans. Although, it is quite rare for a wolf to be mated to a human" Anya spoke honestly. Lexa absorbed her mentor's words, trying her best to think of a solution. She would never want to put Clarke in harm's way. Just the thought of that sent Lexa's wolf spiraling. Anya faintly heard Lexa's wolf growling.

"Hey, don't overthink anything at the moment. Maybe, you should try talking to..."

"Clarke" Lexa interrupted. She watched as Anya nodded her head in appreciation and then listened as her Alpha continued.

"Perhaps you should talk to Clarke, give her the benefit of the doubt. She may surprise you"

"You're right" Lexa gave in. She knew it wasn't fair to decide anything for Clarke. She wasn't hers. She was her own person. A person she still didn't know that much about apart from the fundamentals.

"I'm always right" Anya puffed her chest out as she stood up, her head held high. Lexa began cackling as she pushed Anya away softly, but soon brought her into a tight embrace.

"Thank you, Anya" Lexa whispered as she burrowed her head into Anya's shoulder. The Alpha was the one who had dug Lexa out of her whole after her father died. She was the one who comforted her and nurtured her into the wolf she is today. She owed the Alpha her life.

"Anytime, Little One" Anya smirked into Lexa's hair as she heard the brunette huff in annoyance at the nick name.

The sound of the front door shutting broke the two girls apart as Lexa wiped away a few stray tears and Anya punched her playfully on the brunette's upper arm. Luke came bounding into the living room, a huge smile plastered on his face.

"You found your mate?!" Lexa barely had time to react before she felt her feet being lifted from the ground and two strong arms gripping her waist. Anya's heart warmed at the scene playing out in front of her. Lexa's head was tipped back as the tiniest of giggles escaped her lips, whilst Luke continued to spin the Beta around his living room.

"Luke!" Lexa screeched out. He placed Lexa back down on the floor, whilst placing both hands on her upper arms, effectively holding her in place.

"Now, Lexa, listen to me. It doesn't matter if your mate is a goddamn alien, we all support you and we always will. So please, don't be an idiot and mess this up" There was a glint of humor evident in Luke's brown eyes as Lexa looked up into them. Her heart swelled with love at his confession. She hadn't even realized her worries about the pack rejecting her until Luke just spoke of it. The brunette felt tears welling in her eyes once more at the confession.

"Well don't go getting all emotional on me, Lex. You're our Beta!" Luke joked as Lexa sniffed and wiped her eyes again. "What are you still doing here, Little One?"

"What are you talking about, Luke? And for god's sake Anya, please tell your mate to stop calling me that!" Lexa pointed at her Alpha as she spoke, but was soon brought back to Luke's attention as his soft voice filled the room.

"Go and get your girl! Oh and I want to hear all about her!" Luke shooed Lexa out of his house after she gave him another appreciative embrace. He watched as the Beta backed her truck out of his driveway and sped down the street, shaking his head in humor at her clear enthusiasm. He made his way back to his love, watching her in the doorway to the kitchen as she picked up two bottles of beer from the fridge.

"We did good with that one, didn't we?" Luke questioned as he wrapped his arms around Anya from behind. She closed her eyes as she inhaled his deep, earthy scent. Just one of the many reasons why she loved him so much.

"You know we did" She stated simply as she turned around in his embrace, kissing him gently.

"I just don't get it, Rae. We were having such a good time, and then all of a sudden she's as stiff as a board and offering to take me home! I mean, she visibly cringed after sniffing something, I saw her nose crinkle up. I even sniffed myself when I got home and I didn't smell bad, I think anyway" Raven watched as Clarke dropped her head against her folded arms on top of the bar, having to bite back her own laughter at the sight. Clarke was a mess. She looked like she barely got any sleep last night. Her hair was all matted and she wore baggy jeans with a Berkeley jumper, even though it felt like the Sahara desert outside.

"Well, you might not have smelt bad last night, but you're definitely gonna smell like a skunk today wearing that. Have you not been outside yet, Blondie?!"

Clarke picked her head up, staring intently at her friend behind the bar. "I'm well aware of how hot it is Raven, thank you very much!"

Raven raised her brows, "Alright, enough with the sass. Just because you didn't get any last night, doesn't mean you get to be a bitch" Clarke watched as Raven turned around to continue stocking up the bar.

Clarke groaned in frustration, "I'm sorry, Raven. I knew I was coming on strong, but I couldn't seem to stop. She brings out something primal in me"

Raven couldn't stop the laughter this time. Clarke frowned at her friend, once again hiding her now red face away from the other girl.

"Listen, you've known her for what, like a day? Don't read too much into it. You probably just freaked her out a bit. I mean, she might have just gone through a bad break up or something. And from what I heard from her friends last night, they don't seem to be going anywhere any time soon, so I'm sure you'll have time to talk her" Raven's wise words washed over Clarke like a warm blanket on a winter's day. The blonde smiled warmly at her friend, nodding her head in agreement.

"I'm sorry for being a sass"

"It's OK, I'm used to it by now. Besides, I'm the queen of sass, you learnt from the best" Raven winked at Clarke as she spoke, turning around and drying off the glasses before placing them behind her on the display shelves.

Raven heard the familiar ding of the small warning bell above the main entrance as the door opened slowly. She had placed it there not only to let her know people were entering the bar but also for security reasons. "Bar's closed!" Clarke heard Raven yell across the room.

"I'm sorry to interrupt, I was just hoping to speak with Clarke" The blonde snapped her head around at the sound of Lexa's soothing voice. She was instantly met with a sheepish looking Lexa, standing awkwardly at the front door. Clarke tried her best not to, but it was hard to not smile as she took in Lexa's slightly disheveled appearance. Her hair was pulled up into a messy bun, with a few stray strands lining the side of her face. She wore denim shorts, with a baggy deep blue t-shirt tucked in haphazardly.

As soon as Lexa locked eyes with Clarke's bright blue eyes, she was transfixed. The brunette felt the heat rising up her neck, surely leaving a tint of deep red which must have been visible for Clarke as she began to smirk that god forsaken smirk. Lexa chastised herself for being such a willy.

"Well, I'll leave you two to it. Clarke, behave" Raven pointed at the blonde who had yet to take her eyes away from green as she waved her old friend away.

"Hi" Lexa breathed out as the two girls were left alone.

"Hi yourself" Clarke spoke clearly. She lifted her body from the bar stool, and walked tentatively towards Lexa who hadn't moved a muscle since entering the bar. "I wasn't sure if I was going to see you again after last night"

Lexa felt guilt wash over her at Clarke's honesty. It was one of the reasons why she didn't get much sleep last night.

"I'm sorry, Clarke. It wasn't my intention to make you feel the way I did" Lexa avoided Clarke's heavy stare. Instead she looked down at her shifting feet.

"And how do you think you made me feel, Lexa?" The brunette was forced to look up into glistening blue eyes as she felt her chin being gently lifted by Clarke's soft hand. Their close proximity was causing Lexa's stomach to do somersaults. She watched as Clarke's eyes darted between her own, down to her parted lips and then back up to her eyes. It was too much for Lexa. She placed her own hand against Clarke's wrist, bringing it back down between their bodies and away from her face. Clarke was about to question Lexa's actions before she was cut off by the brunette's melodic voice.

"I think I make you feel a variety of things, Clarke, as you do to me"

Clarke was not expecting that response. Within the space of two minutes, Lexa had transformed from a nervous wreck, to put it bluntly, to a goddess radiating confidence. She took a step back, away from Lexa as she swallowed nervously. The brunette followed Clarke, stepping back into her personal space but never breaking eye contact, and keeping a firm grip on the other girls wrist.

"Who are you?" Clarke breathed out loud enough for both of them to hear. It was meant to be a rhetorical question, but Lexa seemed to think she was to answer.

"Lexa Woods" The brunette held a cocky, lop sided grin on her face as Clarke rolled her eyes and chuckled at the other girl. The sound of Clarke's laughter sending a flutter through Lexa's chest. "Would you like to go somewhere with me?"

Clarke felt a smile creeping onto her face. She would love nothing more than to be taken away by Lexa. This intriguing green eyed beauty who has completely swept Clarke away with her impish charm and cocky smile. "I'd love to"

Lexa simply smiled a huge toothy grin in response, before she latched onto Clarke's hand, dragging her out into the hot summer sun. The brunette stopped abruptly as she heard Clarke groan in frustration. Thinking she had hurt the blonde, Lexa turned on her feet, immediately letting Clarke's hand go and taking a small step away from her.

Clarke watched as Lexa, once again, changed her persona. She was no longer the confident woman dragging Clarke behind her, but instead a shy girl who was looking at Clarke as if she were made of glass. The blonde ignored the sweltering heat and the fact that she was in this god awful sweatshirt, and began to walk towards Lexa. She carefully lifted her hand to caress Lexa's cheek, successfully bringing the brunette back to earth.

"Where did you go?" Clarke all but whispered to Lexa, who purred in delight at the blonde's soft touch. Clarke thought she was imagining it at first. Was Lexa purring?!

Lexa cleared her throat before responding, "I'm sorry, I thought I had hurt you" The brunette watched Clarke as her eyebrows knitted together, but then smoothed out in realization.

"Oh no! Don't worry, you didn't! It's just I forgot how hot it is and I'm not exactly dressed for the occasion" Lexa smiled in amusement at Clarke as she finally caught onto what the blonde was wearing. She had been so hypnotized by Clarke's blue orbs that she hadn't even noticed what Clarke was wearing.

"Well, how about we swing by your place so you can get a change of clothes?"

Clarke nodded her head enthusiastically as she took Lexa's hand in hers, making sure she knew it was OK to do so.


	5. Chapter 5

"Bell! I know you're here, I can smell you from miles away" Octavia shouted out as she entered his house, if you could class it is a house. More like a tree house, situated deep within the forest, it was almost impossible to spot from a distance. And from the outside it looked just like your average log cabin, but something out of a fairy tale when you stepped inside. There was an immense stone fire place lining the far wall, which was mostly always lit thanks to Emma. The hand made wooden furniture, made by Lexa, crowded the living room, giving it that homely, warm feel.

Octavia plonked down on the cushioned sofa as she waited for her brother to make an appearance. Which he did a few minutes later, wearing nothing but shorts as he sauntered down the wooden staircase across the room.

"O, it's 6 in the morning. Have you not got anything better to be doing?" He yawned towards the end of his sentence causing Octavia to roll her eyes in frustration.

"Well, seeing as though you agreed last night to come hunting with me, no!"

Bellamy vaguely remembered agreeing to such terms in his drunken state, immediately regretting his decision. He huffed out in annoyance as his sister shot him daggers from the sofa. "Sorry, I forgot. Listen, I'll just get some coffee and we can go, yeah?"

"Fine" Octavia began pulling her long, black hair back into a neat pony tail as she watched her brother pouring his coffee into a mug. "So, you think Lexa got lucky last night?"

Bellamy sighed in content as he took the first sip of coffee from the cup, whilst walking over to join Octavia. "Hope she did. She deserves a bit of happiness. Plus, that girl seemed alright. I just hope she doesn't hurt Lexa" Bellamy spoke honestly as he continued working on his coffee. He remember vividly how broken Lexa was when Costia died. There was no way the brunette could get through something like that again. God, it had almost killed her. He would protect Lexa with his life it came down to it.

"Chill out, will you? Lexa's a big girl, she's more than capable of looking after herself, Bellamy" The older boy clenched his jaw in annoyance. He hated how good Octavia was at reading people. And it certainly didn't help to have this goddamn telepathic connection. It had it's pro's and con's, but mostly con's.

Bellamy visible relaxed as he felt his mate entering the room behind him. Emma carefully wrapped her arms around Bellamy's strong shoulders, placing a gently kiss against his neck.

"Ew, gross!" Octavia whined at the display of affection.

"Don't complain, Octavia. You're the one that dragged him out of bed at god awful o'clock. Besides, we all have to put up with you and Lincoln" Emma chimed back, causing Bellamy to let out a low chuckle at his sisters distraught face. His mate always found a way to best Octavia.

"Hey babe" Bellamy cooed as he leaned his head back to place a quick kiss against Emma's awaiting lips.

"Hey, love" Emma replied as she grabbed Bellamy's cup from his hand and finished off his remaining coffee before taking off towards the kitchen with Bellamy right on her heels. He just about managed to catch up to his mate, wrapping his arms around her middle and hoisting her up into mid air.

Octavia let out an obscenely loud groan as she heard Emma giggling and whispering profanities into Bellamy's ear, clearly ignoring the fact that Octavia had super sonic hearing, not to mention Bellamy is her _brother_.

"You two are being beyond disgusting now. Bellamy!" The older boy turned around, with Emma's legs still wrapped around his waist, and looked over towards his sister who was stood with her arms firmly crossed by the front door. "I'm going to be outside. You've got five minutes, and if you're not out by then, I'm going without you"

Emma and Bellamy watched as the younger girl stormed out of the house, making sure to slam the door on her way. Bellamy started laughing, followed by Emma's sweet giggles as she nuzzled into her mates smooth skin. Her hands stroked up and down his scar ridden back, remembering each and every one and how they got there. She felt Bellamy tense up after running her finger across the most recent addition.

"You saved her, Bell" Emma cooed as she felt Bellamy's remorse slipping through his strong facade.

Bellamy sighed in response before continuing. "I should go. You know Octavia will be pissed with me for days if I don't go now" He gently dropped Emma to the floor and kissed her goodbye without letting her utter a word.

Once outside, Bellamy let out a long sigh in content as he felt the soft grass beneath his bare feet. The sun was blazing through the tree line, instantly warming his face and casting a light down on Octavia's awaiting wolf, splayed out across the floor.

"Took you long enough. You're gonna have to talk to her about it one day, you know?" Octavia's voice echoed through Bellamy's mind as he let his wolf form take over his body, instantly regretting not taking off his shorts as he heard the all too familiar rip of cloth. His favorite pair. In fact one of his last as well.

"Not now, O" He chastised as he shook his fur clean whilst nodding his head at his sister, signaling for them to set off.

"Last one to the river buys the drinks tonight!" Octavia announced as she leapt through the air, flying past Bellamy and barreling into the forest.

"Oh you're on!" The dark grey wolf pushed back on his hind legs as he set off chasing his sister, dodging and weaving past the thick vegetation. It didn't take Bellamy long to catch up to the light grey wolf, gently pushing her causing Octavia to let out a playful howl.

After a good few minutes of being head to head, Bellamy began falling back ever so slightly as he felt the heat of the sun bearing down on his back. The forest offered some protection, but the humid air was almost unbearable. It didn't seem to be affecting Octavia though as she flew ahead of her brother, laughing in response as she heard him groan in frustration, knowing full well he would be buying the drinks later.

Bellamy's ears pricked up as soon as he heard it. The familiar sound of heavy paws connecting with the ground and that unnatural stench of a lone werewolf. He snapped his head back and forth, trying and failing to get a lock on it's position as it seemed like Octavia hadn't picked up on the new comer yet. Before he could warn his sister, a ginormous beast practically flew through the air, it's crooked claws stretched out on either side of it's body as it landed directly on top of Octavia. The younger wolf howled out in pain as she felt the creatures knife like nails sink into her back.

Bellamy growled furiously as he plowed his body into the huge creature, sending them both skidding across the muddy ground. He chanced a glance back at his sister, who was trying her best to get back onto her paws. She soon gave up, flopping her body against the warm floor, as she realized the pain was too much. Bellamy readied himself for the impending attack as he snapped his head back towards the ugly looking creature, only to find it standing at least six feet in the air whilst fresh droplets of blood hung from its dangerously long fangs. Bellamy had never seen anything like it. The creature's black chest heaved up and down as it stared intensely back at Bellamy with it's deep red eyes. It surely looked like a werewolf, with its wolf like snout and fur but there was something abnormal in the way it held itself. The way it's long fingers rounded into tight fists by the side of it's body. The way it's eyes danced with humor as it glanced over Bellamy's shoulder taking in Octavia's whimpering body, effectively sending a fresh wave of anger through Bellamy's wolf.

Just as Bellamy readied himself to pounce, the sound of helicopter blades cut through the forest, seeming to started the huge creature. It dropped back down onto all fours, and seemed to let out a frustrated huff in annoyance before turning its back on Bellamy and sprinting off deeper into the forest. The dark grey wolf turned back to his sister, immediately sending a signal to his pack mates for help.

Clarke had yet to let go of Lexa's hand as they walked up to the front door of her mother's house, even in the truck she hadn't let go. Something about holding Lexa's hand just felt right, like finally finding that missing piece of a jigsaw. Really, she knew it was crazy. Clarke had only just met Lexa and she didn't even know if the brunette felt the same. It certainly seemed like she did, but Clarke couldn't know for sure and she wouldn't unless they had an actual honest conversation. The blonde could tell that something was troubling Lexa. The whole car ride over to her house, the brunette had been jittery and every now and then it seemed as though she forgot where she was.

"It doesn't look like my mom's home, so I'll be back in a couple of minutes. Just make yourself comfortable" Clarke smiled warmly at Lexa as the brunette nodded her head in response and watched as Clarke ran up the staircase, taking two steps at a time.

Lexa shifted awkwardly down the spacious corridor as she glanced over the numerous pictures lining the right side of the wall. There were a few baby pictures of a bald Clarke causing a tiny giggle to escape her lips. She noticed that she was the spitting image of her mother, with them both having that deep shade of blue in their eyes and glistening smiles. Lexa stopped in front of the largest picture in the middle of the wall. It showed a tall, muscularly built man in his 40's with his arm strewn across Clarke's shoulder. It seemed as though they were both laughing as Clarke looked up at what Lexa presumed was her late father.

The sound of feet hitting the steps behind her sent Lexa spinning around to be met with Clarke wearing a stunning white summer dress, and white pumps. The top part of her hair was pinned back out of her face, whilst the rest fell down in soft curls against her shoulders.

"You look stunning, Clarke" Lexa breathed out as she slowly walked up and stopped just in front of the blonde, who had clearly been embarrassed by the brunette's honest words as her cheeks were turning a light shade of pink. "Shall we?" Lexa held her arm out as an invitation for Clarke to link with her, which the blonde readily did with a large smile plastered on her face.

The pair made it half way down the long, stony driveway before Lexa abruptly stopped walking, pulling Clarke to a stop too.

Lexa felt Bellamy's fear radiating through her entire nervous system. The signal was strong. Stronger than normal. Something was wrong.

"Lexa?" Clarke pulled her arm free, deciding to place both hands on either side of Lexa's face as she tried to read her expression. The blonde couldn't stop the gasp that escaped her lips as she saw how luminous Lexa's eyes had turned.

The sound of Clarke's heart accelerating brought Lexa back to reality as she looked back into the blonde's concerned blue eyes, failing to notice the panicked expression on her face.

"I'm so sorry, Clarke. I have to go!" Lexa backed away from Clarke's embrace as she turned to run, not once looking back in fear of the disappointment she'd certainly see in the blondes eyes.


	6. Chapter 6

Clarke released a heavy sigh as she parked her car next to her mother's jeep, slamming the door shut behind her. The blonde was still angry at how Lexa had just left her, again, without a decent explanation as to why. She could still feel Lexa's soft lips grazing her own. Clarke hadn't even realized that her hand was stroking lightly against her bottom lip until a deep voice startled her from behind.

"Clarke Griffin? Is that you?" The blonde turned slightly, shaking her head in disbelief at her own actions.

Aaron Summers came bounding across the car park with a huge smile across his face as he took Clarke into his warm embrace. He wasn't much taller than the blonde, probably only a few feet.

"It's so good to see you, Aaron" Clarke breathed out honestly as she felt the older man pulling away, with a little bit of Clarke's hair getting pulled away by his thick, dark stubble. He was one of the few who cared enough to take care of Clarke and her mother following her father's death.

"You too, Clarke. There's something different about you" Aaron replied in his soft, deep voice as he scanned her face with his ice blue eyes. The blonde simply waved him off, as she turned to look at the magnificent building in front of them.

"It looks weird" Clarke stated bluntly as she looked upwards. "I can't believe they changed the name" Aaron stood proudly next to Clarke as he too looked up at the building that was once a small time research facility with only a few doctor's. Now though, it was in the running to becoming one of America's greatest Medical Facilities, housing hundred's of various research lab's along with it's own private hospital.

"Mass Medical. You don't think it's got a nice ring to it?" Aaron joked as they began walking in tandem towards the main entrance. Clarke simply raised her brow at the now laughing red head, who kindly held the door open for Clarke to enter first.

"So, how are you Aaron? Last time I was here, there was a Becky?"

Aaron chuckled as he replied, "Well there is no Becky anymore, but there is a Leah" He smiled down at Clarke as they entered the elevator together, pushing the button for the 5th floor.

Clarke listened to her old friend as he brought the blonde up to speed on everything she had missed since going away to College, including how his and Abby's research team were one of the best at the facility.

"Of course you would say that, Aaron. It's your team!" Clarke laughed along with Aaron as they exited the elevator into the brightly lit corridor. The walls were all painted a pristine white color, with various medical paintings littered on both sides. That familiar scent of bacterial disinfectant hit Clarke's nostrils as soon as she stepped beside Aaron who was leading her down towards the end room, passing two labs on the way.

Just as they reached a doorway labelled 'Dr Griffin' a tall, thin man exited the room, closing the door behind him. He wore a firmly pressed grey suit, with a blue tie tucked into a grey waist coat. Clarke scrunched her nose up slightly at the overwhelming smell of cologne.

"Mr Sanders" Aaron's back shot up at the sight of the company's owner as he held his hand out in greeting. Clarke watched from behind her friend as Mr Sanders nodded his head once, completely ignoring Aaron's hand and the blonde as he strode past them both down the corridor.

"What a douche" Clarke mumbled under her breath as Aaron coughed awkwardly, placing his hand back down to his side. He simply shrugged his shoulders and entered Abby's office without bothering knocking.

Abby lifted her head from her laptop, her face lighting up instantly after seeing her daughter enter behind the red head. "Clarke!" Abby shot up out of her seat and rounded the desk, taking her daughter in her arms. "I thought you said you were busy today?"

"Not anymore" Clarke spat out a bit too aggressively. Both Aaron and Abby raised their brows in surprise before Clarke's facial expression softened again and she continued to apologize before sitting down on the two piece leather sofa across the room, followed by Abby who sat beside her. The blonde looked up to see her mother shoot Aaron a knowing look, before he nodded in understanding and left the girls alone.

"Everything ok Clarke?" Abby's soft voice relaxed Clarke almost instantly, making her regret her behavior. Words failed her as she simply nodded her head in answer to her mother's question. "OK, well seeing as though you're here, how about I show you around the labs and introduce you to everyone?"

"That would be great. I am going to be working here for the next few weeks anyway" Clarke mirrored her mother's smiling face as she led the blonde out of her office and down the hallway towards the first lab on the left.

It was beyond amazing. Clarke's jaw dropped as she took in the various sized medical equipment housed inside the lab. There were brand new incubator's lining the whole left wall, whilst the middle of the room consisted of at least five separate work benches with an array of state of the art equipment.

"Come here, Clarke" Abby led the blonde across the room. She stopped in front of one of the workbenches, instantly noticing her own name on a plaque on the side.

"This one is mine?" Clarke asked her mother without taking her eyes away from the equipment. Even the test tubes looked like they were made from gold. Everything in this room alone must cost thousands.

"Yes. I asked Aaron to set it up for you. He was delighted to find that you were going to be with us for the summer" Abby smiled warmly at her daughter as she raised her hand to stroke the work bench, remembering how her mom used to set a mini replica up for her when she brought the blonde to work with her when she was younger.

"It's just how I remembered it" Clarke whispered as she felt a tear fall from her eye. Abby wrapped one arm around Clarke's shoulder and pulled her in for a side hug, as she placed a chaste kiss atop the younger girls head.

"Your father would be so proud of how far you've come, as am I, Clarke. You truly are extraordinary. And you're going to make a fine doctor one day" Abby's words flew straight to Clarke's heart, instantly warming it.

The sound of the door opening and laughter echoing through the lab brought Clarke out of her stupor, whilst her mom pulled her arm away and folded it across her chest. The blonde almost laughed at the look on the faces of what she presumed were her now work colleagues as they swallowed nervously looking back at a stern Abby.

"I'm sorry, Dr Griffin, I didn't realize you were in here" Monty muttered out all too quickly as he looked down to the floor. Jasper on the other hand, completely ignored Abby and was instead gawking at Clarke before Monty elbowed him in the ribs to gain his attention.

"Jasper, I expect you to keep your work bench somewhat tidy in the future, please" Abby wore a tight lip smile as she dropped her arms and nudged Clarke forward. "This is my daughter, Clarke. She will be interning here over the summer, so I expect you to take care of her" The blonde couldn't help but roll her eyes playfully at her mom's words, causing Jasper to stifle his own laughter. Abby turned to look at her daughter before speaking, "I'll leave you to get acquainted. Behave" And with that the older woman was gone, leaving Clarke looking expectantly at the two boys, who still shifted awkwardly on their feet.

"Hi, I'm Clarke" She took the first step, walking carefully across the lab, holding out her hand for one of them to take. Surprisingly, Monty reached out for it first, firmly grasping it and nodding his head with a tiny smile.

"I'm Monty, and this is Jasper" The dark haired boy pointed to the taller boy with long, shaggy hair next to him.

"Hey!" Jasper gleefully greeted as he took Clarke's hand in her own.

Clarke let both boy's guide her around the lab, showing her all the various equipment and what they specifically did. She learnt that Jasper had the flare for dramatics, and he was dangerously interested in all things to do with chemistry. Where as, Monty was clearly the more sensible one of the two, with his calming demeanor and genuine smile.

"Ethan!" Jasper giddily announced as door to the lab opened once again, showing a tall man, perhaps in his late twenties enter. His blonde, shortly clipped, hair contrasted brilliantly with his tanned skin. Clarke watched as he clapped Jasper on the back in greeting before gazing his way over to her. His alluring blue eye's landed on her own for the briefest of moments before he was smiling his dazzling smile at Monty.

"Clarke, this is Ethan Sanders, he works in the lab across the hallway" Monty announced as the sharply dressed man held his hand out for Clarke to take.

"Ethan, this is Clarke, she's working here over the summer"

Ethan smiled brightly at Clarke, who did the same in return, as they shook hands in greeting. "Sanders, as in the guy who owns the company?"

"Correct. Nice to meet you, Clarke" His voice came out low but chirpy all the same. "Speaking of, my dad's dragging me to a fundraiser" Ethan announced as he rolled his eyes at his own words. "I needed to see Dr Griffin, so I thought I'd pop in to make sure you hadn't blown anything up. And I'm talking about you, Jasper" Ethan raised his eyebrow suggestively at Jasper who raised his hands in the air, with a toothy grin on his face as if he didn't know what Ethan was talking about. Clarke felt herself relaxing around each of them as they continued to tease each other. She even joined in somewhat when she could, in between ogling over her workbench.

Clarke certainly hadn't expected anything like this when she agreed to work here over the summer. She'd been hesitant at first, knowing what her mom was like to work with, but it was either do this or help out at the local swimming baths. And the idea of screaming toddler's and children flapping around in the germ ridden swimming pool didn't appeal to her. So here she was, with three of the most random people she had ever met in one of the most expensive room's she's ever set foot in and she couldn't help the smile that was permanently residing on her face.

"So, what was Sanders doing in here before?" Aaron asked from the doorway of Abby's office. He quietly shoot the door behind him as he watched Abby removing her glasses and rubbing her eyes together. He knew she only ever did that when something was bothering her.

"I asked Ethan to come in before the fundraiser to see how his recent genome project was coming along" Abby replied as she tried her best to stifle a yawn.

"Not Ethan. I meant Sanders senior" Aaron reiterated as he took a seat on the other side of Abby's desk, waiting for her to realize what he meant.

"Oh. Sorry Aaron, it's been a long day" She began before shrugging her lab coat off, instantly feeling the heat creeping up her neck. "Sanders senior, as you put it" She started with a smirk and throwing Aaron a knowing look, "Was here to tell me that he may have to cut our funding if we don't find anything 'worthwhile'. That's why I wanted to know where Ethan was up to with his work, seeing as though my research is no where near where I want it to be and you've been in charge of mentoring Jasper and Monty" She looked into Aaron's eyes, seeing the storm brewing up behind them.

"Who the hell does he think he is?! Swanning in here and threatening to cut our funding? I swear, if he ever did an honest day's work in his pampered life, he would understand a bit more" Aaron had risen from his seat and began pacing Abby's office, trying his best to think of a solution. It wasn't fair that Abby got all the flack from Sanders. Aaron was her partner after all, so it was just as much his responsibility as it was hers.

Before Abby had time to reply, the door to her office opened ever so slightly, with Clarke peeking her head around announcing that she was taking Jasper and Monty to Raven's bar for the night. Both Aaron and Abby bid her farewell. As the door closed behind them, Aaron took a seat again having seemed to calm down slightly.

"She seems to be coping really well, Abby. She's grown up a lot" Aaron spoke softly.

"She's had to" Abby replied glumly, as she twiddled her thumbs in her hands. "I just wish she hadn't started here at such a hard time, she doesn't need this kind of pressure".

By the time Lexa had made it to Bellamy's house, the majority of her pack were there bar from Zak and Jess. She burst through the front door, finding Lincoln hovering over Octavia's unconscious body strewn over the sofa. The brunette had to hold back a gasp at the blood soaked cloth's on the floor by her body.

"What happened?" She quietly asked Anya who was positively seething as she leant against the fire place, staring at Octavia's battered body.

Anya tore her hard gaze away from the younger girl and instead focused on Lexa's deep green eye's. The brunette saw Anya's eyes soften as she began to speak, "Someone attacked her when her and Bellamy were out hunting this morning"

Bellamy's deep voice broke through the heavy silence, causing Lexa to flinch slightly when she felt his anger, "Not someone, _something_ , Anya! How many times do I have to tell you?!"

"Calm down, Bellamy" Anya's steady, but stern voice tore through Bellamy's anger riddled demeanor, leaving him defeated as he slumped down on the arm chair across from Lincoln and Octavia.

Lexa gently walked up behind Lincoln, placing her hand gently on his shoulder. He looked up into Lexa's eyes with his saddened brown orbs. "She'll be ok, Lincoln. She's strong" She reassured her pack mate, who nodded his head in appreciation without uttering a word before he turned his head again and began stroking Octavia's forehead with his hand.

"Lincoln, I need to check her wound again" Emma's voice broke Lincoln out of his stupor as he moved to the left, letting Emma settle next to his mate. Octavia let out a soft groan as her body was gently lifted, revealing deep claw marks indenting the majority of her upper back.

Bellamy growled and shook his head as he stood from the chair, turning his body and striding out the back door. Anya held onto Luke's forearm, effectively stopping him from going after his pack mate as she knew Lexa was already on her way.

Lexa's heart broke slightly as she saw Bellamy pacing the treeline situated at the back of his cabin.

"I should have warned her, Lex. It came out of nowhere!" Lexa could tell that Bellamy's anger was threatening to get the better of him, so decided to emit some calming pheromones in hope to settle him.

"What came out of nowhere, Bellamy?" She chanced as she saw him slump down against a large oak tree. The brunette crossed the muddy floor and knelt down beside her pack mate, resting her hand on his knee. The dark haired boy lifted his head from his hands, and looked at Lexa with tear filled eyes.

"I don't know. We were running through the woods when I heard this noise, like one of us running but heavier. And then this smell. Like a lone wolf, but worse. Then all of a sudden it's jumping through the air and it landed on Octavia's back. It must have dug it's claws in pretty deep, because she couldn't get up. I swear, it would have probably killed us both had it not been distracted by a helicopter"

Lexa digested the information slowly. She closed her eyes, trying to picture what she had been told, wishing she had been there to help.

"I'm glad you weren't there, Lexa. It could have hurt you too" Bellamy spoke softly as he rested his own hand atop of the brunette's. Goddamn telepathy, she thought to herself.

"She's going to be ok" Lexa reassured not only Bellamy but herself. She didn't know what she would do if anything happened to Octavia.

"Bellamy! Lexa! She's awake!" As soon as they heard Luke's booming voice, Bellamy was up and through the door within lightning speed. Lexa wasn't far behind, as she saw Lincoln place a chaste kiss against Octavia's lips before he stepped back, making room for Bellamy.

"How are you?!" Bellamy asked shakily as he knelt down beside his sister.

"Been better" Octavia croaked out as the room filled with laughter. Lexa noticed that Zak and Jess were now present too, with smiles filling their faces as they looked down at their pack mate adoringly.

"Let's give them a minute" Anya announced as she and Luke walked passed Lexa, gently stroking her arm in reassurance.

Strangely enough, the pack left her, Bellamy and Octavia alone as if they knew that's what Anya had meant. The three had become the closest of the group, having practically grown up together. Anya and Luke had found Lexa not long after she found Bellamy and Octavia who had been abandoned by their mother after her pack fled. Later, Lincoln joined with Costia and finally Zak and Jess.

"The original's" Octavia croaked out as she noticed it was only Bellamy and Lexa left in the room. Bellamy was still knelt down beside Octavia, as Lexa gently lifted her legs to squeeze in next to her on the sofa. Bellamy laughed at his sister's words as he looked adoringly between her and Lexa.

"I'm really glad you're ok, O" Lexa stated as she took Octavia's hand in her own and held it for dear life.

"Enough about me! What happened with you and the blonde chick from last night?! And don't leave out any gory details" Octavia jokingly announced as she winked at the brunette causing Bellamy to groan in annoyance. The last thing he wanted to hear was anything to do with Lexa's sex life. They were close yes, but she was just as much of a sister to him as Octavia is.

As if on cue, Lexa remembered how she had left Clarke after promising to spend the day with her.

"What?" Bellamy questioned as he felt Lexa's remorse slipping through.

"Well, I was actually with her when you sent the signal. And then I left without really telling her why" The brunette admitted as she avoided Octavia's pointed look.

"Wait! You spent the night with her then? I knew it! But dude, come on, don't you know better?" Octavia chastised her pack mate as she squeezed Lexa's hand, effectively making the other girl look at her again.

"No, it wasn't like that. I didn't spend the night. I met up with her at Raven's bar this morning, that's all. And it's not like I could just ignore your signal, Bell, it was so strong!" Lexa shouted out in her defense as Octavia's features began to soften. Of course she wouldn't have been able to ignore the signal. None of them would.

"Are you going to see her again, Lex?" Bellamy broke through the silence, resulting in Lexa's heart beat to increase at the thought of seeing her mate again.

"Why is your heart racing?" Octavia managed to cough out as she frowned at the now shifting brunette next to her. Then the younger girl saw Lexa's facade waver ever so slightly, just enough to realize why the brunette was acting so shifty. She was hiding something. But not just anything. Finding your mate wasn't just something, it was everything! "Holy shit!" Octavia shrieked in delight, before groaning in pain as she felt her injuries rubbing against her tank top.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Bellamy snapped his head back and forth between the two girls, not missing Lexa's now reddened cheeks and Octavia's giant ass smirk.

"Lexa here, has found her mate!"

"Seriously?!" Bellamy's bellowing voice almost echoed off the walls, as Lexa cringed at her pack mate's enthusiasm. "What's her name?"

"Clarke" Lexa clarified as she lifted her head to find both Bellamy and Octavia grinning widely at her. She realized that Luke was right, she really had nothing to worry about. Well apart from Clarke being extremely mad at her, which the blonde had every right to be.

"I like her already, Lex. Now, please go and find her so you can apologize and be in luuuve!" Octavia teased the brunette as she poked her in her ribs causing Lexa to squeal out as she jumped off the sofa.

Just as she was leaving the house, she heard Bellamy shouting after her and giggling with his sister, "Good luck, Lexi!"


	7. Chapter 7

Clarke watched, with an amused expression on her face, as Raven and Jasper talked animatedly about all things to do with chemistry, whilst Finn and Monty bonded over baseball. She took a small sip of her cocktail, that her friend's had dubbed the 'Raven Special', and chuckled to herself at the memory. Before she knew it, Clarke was on her third cocktail of the night and could certainly feel it too as she had to rely on Raven to get her to the toilet without falling flat on her face.

"Jeez, Griffin, I thought you going off to college would have taught you to learn to handle your liquor!" Clarke heard Raven shouting across the tiny bathroom of the bar.

"Not my fault your cocktails are lethal!" The Latina began laughing at her friends slurring voice, deciding it was time for the blonde to be on her way home. Even though it was only 8pm.

"How about I get Finn to drive you home, hmm?" Raven cooed as she wrapped her arm around Clarke's waist after the blonde had finished checking herself out in the mirror.

"No, Lexa's going to drive me home" Clarke choked out just as she lost her footing, almost dragging Raven down with her.

Raven shook her head and let out a tiny chuckle as she dragged Clarke back up and pulled her towards the entrance of the bar, having already waved Finn across. "Lexa's not here, sweetie. Listen, Finn's here now so he'll make sure you get home ok. I have to stay here, but call me in the morning, if you're not dead" She laughed out loud as Clarke's face scrunched up in disappointment after hearing of a certain brunette's absence.

After Raven had disappeared from sight, Clarke felt two callous hands gripping her waist, effectively supporting her as her eyelids began to close. "Come on, drunkie" Finn whispered under his breath as he pulled Clarke towards his truck.

Lexa had gone back to Clarke's home after leaving Bellamy's, but was disappointed after not finding her there. The brunette went to the second place she thought Clarke would have gone, Raven's. However, was also left feeling deflated after discovering the blonde wasn't there either. After a quick glance around town, Lexa gave up on her search and instead decided to head back home for a bit, before she continued the search later, in the hope that Clarke would go home.

When Lexa arrived at her cabin, she felt happiness wash over her body at the sight of a humongous stack of wood placed on the grassy patch in front of the lake. She had to remember to send something to Craig in thanks of his impromptu timing, not that he would know of course. The thought of Craig made Lexa think of blue eyes and blonde locks, causing sadness to envelop her once again. These contrasting feelings were confusing Lexa to no end. She shook her head as she walked over to the pile of wood, after gathering her tools from the back of her truck.

After a few minutes, Lexa settled into a nice rhythm of chopping the wood the way she wanted, and sculpting it just the right way. The brunette eventually had to take her top layer off after she felt the hot summer sun beating down on her back, and the sweat beginning to pool at the base of her hairline, resulting in her pinning her hair back in a pony tail.

Lexa hadn't even realized what she was sculpting until it was finished, making her roll her eyes in frustration at herself. She would tend to do this when she was in her wood working zone. Sometimes, like right now, the brunette wouldn't set out to make anything in particular and just shut her thoughts away while her hands did all the work. She realized that this was one of those times as she looked down at the small elephant sculpture resting in both hands.

An elephant. Why would she be crafting an elephant of all things? Then the memory came flooding back like rain falling from the sky. Clarke had told her that elephant's were her favorite animals. She had made it subconsciously thinking of Clarke. Lexa jumped up from her chair, before striding across the grassy plain and hopping up her front stairs. She gently placed the elephant down on the mantle piece surrounding the fire pit in her living room, before she sank down into one of the few pieces of furniture she had purchased and had delivered.

"That's it" She announced to an empty room, as she hopped up and grabbed her keys, making her way back to the front door. However, stopped when she realized how smelly she was after a full day under the hot sunshine. The brunette's nose scrunched up at her own dirty odor whilst she ran up the stairs towards her bathroom, thinking about all the things she wanted to say to Clarke. It was probably a good thing that she had to have a shower, because now she could mull over exactly what she was going to say to the blonde and how she was going to explain herself. It's not like she could just rock up at her house and be like 'Oh hey Clarke, by the way I'm a werewolf and you're my mate'. No, she definitely had to come up with something better than that.

Lexa walked across her soft, carpeted bedroom floor towards the tall wardrobe. She opened it, deciding on some tight, black jeans and a long sleeve red t-shirt as she was sure it was still going to be warmish, even if the sun had set. The brunette let her long, wavy locks flow freely and after some deliberation, decided on a little bit of make up. _Couldn't hurt_. She thought to herself as she pulled her combat boots on and trotted down the wooden stair case, making sure to leave a light on before shutting and locking the door behind her.

The brunette wasn't wrong about it still being warm outside. The sun had set some time ago, and the moon was shining quite high in the sky but the humid air was still quite stifling. After climbing up into her truck, she pulled her sleeves up and backed out of the long, grassy drive way, deciding to put the radio on trying her best to distract her from thoughts of her mate. Which failed miserably, of course.

The drive into town was pretty quiet, considering the population of Bayfield was next to none. There couldn't have been over 500 people living in the town and surrounding area's, which was nice for a change seeing as though Lexa and her pack tended to go for more populated area's, for a better chance of blending in. Again, Lexa's mind filled with nothing more than those cheeky, deep blue eyes and dazzling white smile as she pulled her truck to a stop up the road from Raven's bar. The music from the bar pumped along the street, the heavy dull sit tones already setting Lexa's nerve endings on fire. Sometimes having heightened senses really weren't a gift.

The brunette tucked her car keys into her back pocket whilst she crossed the road, as she made her way down the path towards the harbor, smiling kindly at a few passers by who mirrored her smile.

Lexa froze at the sight in front of her. Clarke, her Clarke, had her arms wrapped around some scruffy boy's neck whilst his hands gripped her firmly at the blonde's waist. The brunette's wolf began growling deep within her chest as she willed her feet to move again. Lexa didn't have to be stood next to Clarke in order to smell the alcohol radiating from her, causing the brunette to become even angrier. How dare this boy take advantage of a clearly inebriated Clarke.

Before she could stop herself, Lexa had placed one hand firmly on the boy's forearm, stopping both him and Clarke from moving. The blonde opened her eyes ever so slightly, looking up at Lexa with clear recognition behind them.

"Lexa" The brunette's heart thumped in her chest at hearing Clarke slur her name. She clenched her jaw together as she addressed the shocked boy, who she still held under her tight grasp.

"I've got her from here. Come on, Clarke" Before he even had time to register what had happened, Lexa grabbed hold of Clarke and pulled her body up into the air, causing the blonde to let out a chorus of giggles. The brunette carried Clarke in her arms, back up the side walk towards her truck as she heard the blonde whisper incoherent words. Lexa thought she may have picked up on a few words such as 'knight' and 'shining' but she couldn't be sure. And, clearly whatever came out of Clarke's mouth tonight wasn't going to make any sort of sense.

"Here we go" Lexa whispered to a now nearly unconscious Clarke as she gently placed her in the passengers side of her truck, before buckling her in and making her own way around to the drivers side.

"Lexa" The brunette snapped her head to the right and looked down at Clarke's face which held a look the brunette wasn't familiar with. _Please don't puke in my truck_. Lexa thought to herself as she waited for Clarke to continue. "I don't want to go home. Please don't take me home yet"

"Clarke..." Lexa tried warning before she was cut off by the sound of Clarke's husky voice.

"Please" As if the brunette would be able to deny Clarke's pouting face. She sighed heavily as she nodded her head, causing Clarke to smile proudly.

The drive back to Lexa's cabin was silent, apart from the gentle music playing quietly on the radio. Every now and then, Lexa would hear Clarke humming along but whenever she chanced a look at her passenger, the blonde always had her eyes firmly shut.

The change in road surface must have alerted Clarke as her eyes shot open and her body bolted upright in her seat, causing Lexa to put her hand on the blonde's knee in reassurance, causing Clarke to stiffen in her seat.

Clarke's tender voice made Lexa pull her hand back and place it on the steering wheel again, "Where are we?"

"Just coming up to my cabin, Clarke" 

The answer seemed to settle the blonde as she once again leant back in her chair, whilst looking out the window at the passing trees. As the car came to a stop in front of the red cabin, Clarke hopped out completely forgetting how drunk she actually was causing her to fall. Lexa, luckily, had seen the whole thing, jumping over her truck making sure she was right behind Clarke ready to catch her as she fell.

"Lexa to the rescue again!" Clarke stated in a sing song voice as she felt her body being lifted off the floor once again. The blonde looked up at Lexa's stern face and began poking her in the stomach, moaning when she realized how toned it was. "Liven up, Broody!"

"Stop it, Clarke" the brunette chastised as she continued to carry Clarke up into the cabin, gently placing her down on the wooden floor. Lexa turned to close the door but before she could, Clarke had grasped onto her wrist effectively twisting her to look into her intense blue eyes.

"Why do you keep leaving me?" If it wasn't for Clarke slurring her words, Lexa may have answered truthfully, but she wanted to save this conversation for when they were both sober.

"I'm not leaving you. I'm simply shutting the door, Clarke" Lexa raised her hand to caress the blonde's soft cheek to put emphasis on her words and felt her melting under her touch.

"I'm tired" The blonde stated between a massive yawn, causing Lexa to giggle slightly, before she guided Clarke up the stairs and down the corridor to her bedroom. She encouraged Clarke to sit down on her bed, whilst she rifled through her draws to find something suitable for the other girl to sleep in. After handing the blonde a folded pile of clothes, she continued to walk into the adjacent bathroom, where she poured a glass of water. As she returned to the bedroom, her heart began beating heavily as she saw Clarke wearing her clothes and curled up below the covers of the bed. Lexa placed the glass on the nightstand along with a bottle of pain killers just in case, before she leant down and pressed a soft kiss against Clarke's forehead. She then whispered 'goodnight' and retreated from the bedroom, leaving a content Clarke in her deep slumber.

Clarke's feet couldn't carry her fast enough as she felt her chest tightening, obviously not happy at the work out she was putting her body through. She chanced a look behind her, being met with the dense forest and moon light breaking through the trees but failed to see what she was running from. The sound of hurried footsteps echoing behind her made the blonde push herself harder, trying her best to ignore the throbbing in her legs. She felt the adrenaline coursing through her veins as her heart beat rang aloud in her ears. Suddenly, the world had stopped moving. Clarke was no longer running away from her chaser, but instead lay on her back, facing the moon lit sky above. The sound of deep, ragged breaths caused her to snap her head to the left where she was met with what she could only describe as a monster. No not a monster, a beast. A huge, black, beast with brilliant green eyes staring down at her. Strangely though, Clarke didn't feel scared anymore. Her breathing had evened out and she didn't feel threatened as the beautiful, beast prowled towards her.

"Clarke" Lexa's soft voice echoed through her mind as she bolted up right in bed. Instantly, the blonde brought her right hand up to clutch her sweat riddled forehead. She closed her eyes before remembering the events of the night before. As if on cue, Clarke snapped her eyes open, drinking in the room surrounding her. The curtains were drawn, but they didn't do much to block out the bright sunshine, which illuminated the rest of the room. Clarke looked down at her clothes, realizing they weren't her own, she looked across the other side of the bed noticing that it clearly hadn't been slept in. Just like her forehead, her whole body was covered in sweat. The blonde groaned in frustration as she flopped back down on the bed, shielding her eyes from the gleaming sun peaking through the window.

After a few more minutes of feeling sorry for herself, Clarke slowly lifted her body up and dangled her bare feet over the side of the large double bed. Only just noticing the glass of water and pills, the blonde smiled at herself knowing Lexa must have put them there for her last night. She greedily downed the water after popping a couple of pain killers, and stretched her body out after standing up on her still shaky legs.

Clarke was on the way to the bathroom when she caught sight of her appearance in the mirror on the wall. Awful wasn't even a good enough word to describe what she currently looked like. Her hair was sticking out all over the place, whilst her eye makeup had clearly been smudged in her sleep like state. The blonde internally cringed at the thought of Lexa seeing her in this state, so she decided she desperately needed a shower. She figured since Lexa had let her sleep in her bed, she surely wouldn't mind her using her shower facilities as well. Well, hopefully not or she may just faint at the sight of Clarke right now.

Once Clarke had washed off the remaining evidence of the previous night, she hesitantly walked back into Lexa's bedroom, thankfully finding it empty again as she opened up the brunette's large wardrobe. She pulled out the black jumper she remembered Lexa wearing when she had first met her and placed it over her head, loving the way it felt against her skin. The blonde then went to put on some jeans, which just about fit over her curves, before letting her hair fly freely from the towel confinement.

"Here goes nothing" Clarke whispered to herself as she opened the bedroom door leading into the upstairs hallway. She peeked her head out of the doorway, and listened intently but sighed after hearing nothing at all. Her heart began beating at an alarming rate as she descended the stairs and found the cabin was totally empty. _Was this really Lexa's cabin? It must be, you're wearing her clothes you dimwit_. Clarke mentally chastised herself as she made her way to the front door, opening it slowly, revealing the most beautiful view she had ever seen. The sun was rising on the far side of the lake, casting a breath taking deep, orange glow across the water as the blonde noticed a faint line of dew still evident making the water shimmer slightly, whilst a few birds were singing in the distance. At least she wasn't the only one just waking up.

Clarke's feet began moving on their own once she saw Lexa's long wavy hair flowing in the gentle morning breeze. Her heart began beating erratically again with every step she took. Why was she so nervous all of a sudden? Clarke knew the answer, but pushed the thought aside as she saw Lexa turn her head slightly, clearly hearing the blonde's footsteps approaching.

"Good morning, Clarke" Lexa's gentle voice seemed to cause Clarke's nerves to completely diminish as she felt a smile creeping onto her face.

"Morning, Lexa" The blonde replied rather sheepishly as she sat down on the wooden deck chair, next to the brunette.

"Nice outfit" Lexa jokingly breathed out as she took a tiny sip of her coffee whilst looking intently at Clarke's now blushing face. She watched as the blonde played with the bottom of her jumper, not yet having met her eye line. "Hey" Lexa reached out, taking one of Clarke's hands in her own, forcing blue to meet green. "It's ok, I'm just messing with you. They look much better on you anyway" Lexa winked at the other girl after she had finished speaking.

Clarke's heart melted at the honesty behind the brunette's words. And god, that wink.

"Thank-you. For last night, I mean. And I'm sorry for kicking you out of your own bed" Clarke began stroking Lexa's hand with her thumb subconsciously, causing Lexa to smile as she considered how to reply.

"It was no trouble at all, Clarke. It was" Lexa mulled over her next words, "different to sleep on the couch" The blonde chuckled at Lexa after hearing what she had said. "And it is me who owes you the apology, not the other way around"

Clarke snapped her head up, away from their linked hands, meeting Lexa's thoughtful expression. She was about to question the brunette, when Lexa stopped her with her own words of explanation.

"I left you yesterday. Without any kind of explanation, which I am truly sorry for. You did not deserve that" Lexa took a sharp in take of breath before continuing, "There is something I wish to tell you, but I'm not sure how to word it exactly"

Just as Lexa opened her mouth to speak again, Clarke's phone began ringing causing her to curse loudly at the interruption. The brunette laughed at Clarke's profanity but nodded her head in understanding as the blonde apologized and went to answer her phone.

"Oh shit, I'm sorry mom, I completely forgot! Yeah and I'm sorry for swearing. I'll be right there" Lexa heard Clarke bid her mother farewell before hanging up and sighing heavily as she turned to face the brunette again. "I'm really sorry, Lexa can we continue this later? I forgot that I promised my mom I would help her out at the labs today. She's got a deadline that's due and it's pretty important and I'm completely rambling. I'm sorry"

Lexa's grin said it all. Clarke began laughing at herself after Lexa shook her head and joined in. The blonde didn't even think before she leant forward, placing a chaste kiss against Lexa's plump lips. She soon realized what she had done and began pulling back, but was stopped by a firm hand holding her in place by the back of her neck. Lexa guided Clarke back to her, never wanting to part from the blonde and her soft lips.

After a few glorious minutes, Clarke pulled back slightly, resting her head against Lexa's forehead as they both regained their breathing.

"I really like you, Lexa" Clarke didn't know what came over her when the words left her mouth, but they felt so right. Being with Lexa felt so right.

"I feel it too, Clarke, trust me" Lexa reassured the blonde who let out a breath she didn't even know she had been holding in.

"Will I see you later?" The blonde asked as she took Lexa's hand back in her own.

The brunette looked at Clarke in surprise as if her question was the craziest thing she had ever said, "Of course" Lexa breathed out with a huge smile plastered on her face, causing Clarke to begin laughing. "Why don't you take my truck? That way, you can't change your mind later because I will be wanting it back at some point"

"Trust me, I don't think I will be changing my mind. But, if you insist!" Clarke gleefully jogged back to the cabin with Lexa in toe, who handed her the keys to her truck after sifting through her jeans pocket.

"I'll see you later, Lexa" The brunette hummed in agreement as she kissed Clarke passionately goodbye, whilst her wolf was doing back flips at the entire encounter. She watched Clarke drive her truck away from the cabin, feeling completely content but soon began feeling slightly uneasy at knowing she still had to have _the_ conversation with the blonde.


	8. Chapter 8

Lexa's goofy smile hadn't left her face all morning. Not since Clarke had left with her truck, effectively leaving her stranded in the middle of nowhere. But the brunette didn't mind one bit. Not when she knew she would be seeing Clarke later. She was so distracted by her own thoughts of the blonde, that she hadn't noticed Bellamy sneaking up on her from the treeline.

"Boo!" Lexa jumped a mile after feeling Bellamy's calloused fingers digging into her sides, causing her to fly out of the deck chair and spill her lemonade all down her t-shirt.

"Seriously, Bellamy!" The older boy reared his head back, letting a raucous laugh escape his lips as Lexa shook her head in disappointment before his contagious laugh had the brunette giggling too. She had been too caught up in trying to wipe off the lemonade from her face that she hadn't yet noticed what Bellamy was wearing, let alone what he was doing there.

"What the hell are you wearing, Bell?" Actually it was more like what he wasn't wearing.

"Emma taped some shorts to my back so that when I got here I wouldn't be stark butt naked. Sure you wouldn't want to see that" He announced as he took a seat on the empty deck chair over looking the lake.

"You're right, I wouldn't want to see that" Lexa joked back as she sat down alongside Bellamy. The two sat in a comfortable silence for a few minutes until Bellamy was brought back to reality by the sound of his pack mates soft voice.

"So what do I owe the pleasure of your company, Wolfie?"

"I wanted to ask you a favor. You know how me and O were out hunting yesterday and there was that thing in the woods?" Lexa nodded her head and waited for Bellamy to continue, "Well, I was hoping you would come back to the spot with me today, just in case there's anything I missed?" She didn't miss the slight furrow in Bellamy's eyebrows as he spoke of the place where his sister was attacked. She knew how he felt. It was exactly how she was feeling right now. Angry.

"Of course, Bellamy" Lexa spoke in a lower octave, whilst gently resting her hand on his lower arm in reassurance. Her calming pheromones worked wonders for the older boys resolve, as she watched him exhale slowly before turning his head to lock eyes with her own.

"Thanks, Lex" He smiled slightly before turning his attention back to the lake, watching the sparrows dip and dive around each other in a fluttering dance of feathers and water. "I'm guessing things went well with you and the blonde, Clarke, yesterday"

The brunette, once again, felt a smile playing on her lips at the mention of her mate. Bellamy must have noticed because he began chuckling whilst lightly shoving Lexa in the shoulder playfully. "That's how I felt when I first met Emma. It's indescribable, isn't it?"

Lexa looked down at her fiddling hands in her lap before turning her head to reply, "Will it always be like this?"

"You mean the connection? Will it always be strong?" Bellamy looked at Lexa as she nodded her head in answer to his question before he replied, "Well, I still feel like that with Emma, so I guess so. But, I suppose everyone is different. The bond is and always will be strong, but only if you both reciprocate"

Lexa mulled over her pack mate's words for a few minutes. This feeling, whether it be the bond or something else, was so strong. She could practically feel Clarke breathing and who knows how many miles away she currently was. Anya was right. Costia hadn't been Lexa's mate. The brunette had never felt this way for anyone, including Costia. But, did that mean Clarke would need to feel the same way in order for the bond to continue? What would happen if Clarke rejected her? Bellamy must have picked up on Lexa's angst, as she felt his warm arm wrap around her shoulder, pulling her in for a side hug.

"Don't worry about all that now, Lexa. First, you have to actually talk to Clarke before jumping to conclusions. And secondly, she may be a secret werewolf activist and in that case you won't ever have to worry about her rejecting you!" Bellamy's poor choice of words caused Lexa to let out a small chuckle before resting her head against his upper arm.

After a good twenty minutes of admiring the beautiful scenery, and catching a few rays, Bellamy and Lexa decided to bite the bullet and venture into the deep forest in hope of finding some clues of the mysterious monster. Bellamy was up first, striding across the dense vegetation. Lexa was aware of him shouting out something along the lines of 'You seriously need to mow the lawn, dude' in which she gave him the finger before setting off towards her cabin.

The brunette locked the front door, before placing the key under a nearby plant pot. She turned to find Bellamy's dark grey wolf shaking his fur out, whilst a pair of shredded shorts were strewn across the ground. Lexa rolled her eyes as she stripped down to her underwear before hopping down the three steps, willing her wolf to wake from her deep slumber.

Surprisingly, her transformation didn't feel as heavy as it had done over the past year or so. She knew it probably had something, or everything, to do with a certain blonde beauty with blue eyes, but shook the thought out of her head. This wasn't about Lexa now. It was about Octavia and Bellamy.

Bellamy watched as Lexa easily transformed into her stunning, black wolf form before plodding over towards him with her teeth slightly bared as if she was smiling a goofy grin. He shook his large head in amusement just as Lexa's wolf nudged him forward towards the tree line using her snout. The duo set off side by side as they carefully jogged through the thick vegetation of the forest, stopping every now and then to smell the humid summer air, just in case.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the location of Octavia's attack. Lexa heard Bellamy whine ever so slightly at the scent in the air. It was thick, and almost unrecognizable, but you could just about make out the scent of Octavia's blood.

"It came from over there" Lexa looked up at her pack mate, finding him stood firmly, back rigid and facing towards the east. His large grey head was raised, his eye line fixated towards the sky. "Look, Lexa, up there"

Lexa's wolf slowly walked across the forest, looking up, trying to find what Bellamy was staring at. It wasn't until she was stood beside him that she could finally see what had him so transfixed. Claw marks. And not just your average claw marks. Thick and deep, towards the top of the tree's. And it wasn't just the one tree. There must have been at least five tree's with the same markings, and all along the top of the tree line. The black wolf followed the markings along each tree, before they ended. She looked at the floor to the left of where her and Bellamy stood, to find two huge paw prints, with the claw marks also evident in the surrounding area.

"You weren't kidding when you said it was massive" Bellamy simply nodded his large head in reply.

They both surveyed the area for another few minutes, before Lexa's body halted it's movements. Bellamy swiveled around to find Lexa not moving, hardly breathing in fact. Her head was slightly raised in the air, whilst her nostrils began twitching. Bellamy faintly recognized the scent from earlier when he was at Lexa's cabin and at Raven's bar. It was the scent of the blonde. Lexa's mate. Clarke.

Lexa took one last look behind her towards her pack mate, who nodded his head once in agreement before they were both running through the tree's in the direction of the blonde's scent. Lexa's heart began beating erratically against her chest. Why in the world would Clarke be out in the wood's. Hadn't she said she was helping her mother? Bellamy let out a small bark, effectively distracting Lexa from her own thoughts, as they picked up the pace, barreling through the forest, easily dodging and weaving anything that blocked their path.

It wasn't until Lexa heard it that she stopped. The scream. The ear piercing scream, that had Lexa's resolve almost melt away. Then she smelt it. The smell that Bellamy had spoke of when Octavia was attacked. The smell of the creature with death like claw's. The monster, that was no doubt, making Clarke scream. Her Clarke. Bellamy watched Lexa's eyes deepen in color. He practically felt the anger radiating off her fur as she let out a deep snarl before leaping through the air in the direction of the blonde once again.


	9. Chapter 9

"Clarke run!"

That was the last thing she heard before she was sprinting through the forest, using every ounce of energy she could muster. The cut lining her forehead burned, whilst the warm blood began dribbling down her cheek. She brought her hand up and swiped it away as she felt a small droplet land on her eyelid. Her breathing had become ragged. She chanced a quick look behind her but instantly wished she hadn't. The huge trees swayed as the beast jumped from one to the next, letting out deep grunts as it hit the wooden trunks.

As she snapped her head around, Clarke felt her body flying through the air, before her back slammed against the ground, hard. A sharp pain surged through her abdomen, as she felt fresh blood coating Lexa's jumper. The pain was so severe she almost blacked out. And she would have done if not for the gigantic beast now staring down from the tree directly above the blonde. It's intense red eyes piercing through her soul.

Clarke lay frozen, suspended in time as she looked up into the eyes of the creature that would surely be the end of her existence. She closed her eyes, willing away the thought of her death and instead found herself thinking of long brunette locks, sun kissed skin and vivid green eyes. The ground shook around her, but she refused to open her eyes. She could hear the creature's staggered breath as it closed in on her. The thin branches snapping under it's claws with every step it took. She thought of Raven and Finn. She thought of Craig. She thought of her mother's defeated eyes as she told Clarke to run. She thought of her father, and how she would soon be seeing him. Then, she thought of Lexa once again.

The foot steps had stopped, and the creatures breathing had evened out into a soft purr. Clarke took a deep breath in as she readied herself for the impending attack. But it never came. Instead, an almighty roar sounded out through the forest. Her eyes shot open just in time to see a black blur fly over where she lay before crashing it's body into the monster, sending it soaring across the floor and only stopping when it's back slammed against a tree trunk. There stood the wolf from her dream. The beautiful, black wolf with emerald green eyes shining brightly against it's dark fur.

Clarke had managed to pull her body up, clenching her jaw to alleviate the pain coursing through her abdomen as she leant against a fallen branch. The wolf stood tall on all fours, panting heavily whilst staring directly ahead at the monster, which still seemed slightly shocked. The monster snapped out of it's surprised stupor and gathered itself as it lifted it's body from the ground. It stood at least a couple of feet taller than the black wolf, which was now growling with its teeth bared.

Before she had time to react, Clarke witnessed the black wolf push back on its hind legs, causing the monster to do the same. She watched in awe as the wolf and monster collided mid air, sending a shock wave through the ground. Their angry snarls and snapping of teeth on each other's flesh echoed through the dense forest air, bouncing off the trees. The black wolf narrowly missed the monster's lethal canines. It instead latched onto the wolf's back leg, causing it raise it's head back, howling in pain. It's once black fur now dripping red.

Clarke let out a barely audible whimper at the sound of the wolf's pained howls, causing it to snap its head in her direction. Dazzling green met broken blue for the briefest of seconds before the monster was charging again. They continued to snap and tear at each other, their sharp teeth dashing towards each other's throats, before the sound of gun fire echoed through the trees. The monster halted its attack, taking a step away from the heavily panting wolf. Clarke, too shocked to move, watched as the disheveled monster reared it's head letting out a piercing scream before pouncing up and latching onto one of the trees. Then it was gone. Blink and you would have missed it.

The black wolf stood still, looking up at the tress before turning it's head slowly to lock eyes with Clarke once more. She held her breath in anticipation of her death for the second time today. If under different circumstances she would have thought this was all a joke. But it wasn't. Her mother may be dead for all she knows and this wolf was most likely going to eat her alive. Funnily enough, when the thought crossed her mind, Clarke thought it was the most ridiculous thing she had ever thought. The look in this wolf's eyes wasn't menacing or deadly. Not that she's ever been face to face with a wolf before. But if she had, she wouldn't have expected this. It's eyes were somewhat kind. Welcoming even.

Clarke gasped when she saw it turn its whole body to face her, before it took a few tentative steps towards her. _You're hallucinating, Clarke. This can't be re_ a _l._ She shook her head whilst squeezing her eyes shut, before opening them again to find the wolf still walking towards her, with its head bowed slightly. Her heart rate had picked up as she felt newly developed sweat building at the base of her hairline.

The wolf halted it's movements, snapping it's large head to the right. Clarke followed it's line of sight but was met with nothing but trees and thick vegetation. She was once again met with it's intense green eyes when she returned her head to it's normal angle. Before she even had time to breathe, the wolf was gone and not a minute later Finn and Craig were on either side of the blonde. She didn't have time to react to their panicked voices as she felt her whole body become numb and her vision turned black. 

Lexa watched as the men she remembered to be Finn and his father Craig, lift Clarke's unconscious body from the ground.

"Lexa!" Bellamy's panicked voice sounded through Lexa's mind as she never took her eyes away from blonde hair, which was now becoming a faint spot in the distance. "I need your help, Lexa!" Her pack mate's stern voice shook Lexa from her state of shock, causing her to turn and run back in the direction of where she had left him and the older blonde.

By the time she reached Bellamy, he was trying and failing to pull the unconscious woman onto his back. She immediately was at his side, using her snout to help push the woman up.

"She needs to get to the hospital, Lex! She's lost a lot of blood" Bellamy began jogging back towards Lexa's cabin, making sure to tread carefully to avoid the woman flying off his back.

"Don't worry, I've sent Anya a signal. She's on her way, Bell" Lexa reassured her pack mate, before trotting beside him, keeping a watchful eye in case the monster returned.

By the time they made it back to Lexa's cabin, Anya was waiting for them, with Luke by her side. Lexa was so concerned about getting this unknown woman to the hospital that she hadn't registered Emma sprinting past Anya and kneeling beside Bellamy, gently stroking his head.

Luke lifted the woman into his strong arms and placed her into the passengers side of his Dodge Charger, before nodding once at Anya who stood still as she watched him drive away. The older girl then turned her attention back to Lexa, raising her brows when she saw the black wolf limping towards her cabin.

Lexa pushed through the burning pain in her leg, thinking only of Clarke as she hobbled up the few stairs of her porch. She could feel Anya's intense stare boring holes in her back, but ignored it as she shifted back to her human form. The pain multiplied when she did though, causing her to fall to her knees, whilst letting out a strangled sob. Anya was by her side within seconds, covering her naked form with a flannel. The Alpha took Lexa's wounded leg in her hands, surveying the wound causing the brunette to look at it herself for the first time. Usually a wound like this, a simple bite or scratch, would have healed by now but this one wasn't shifting. Instead, it looked to be forming a deep bruise, as the blood continued to ooze at a slowing pace.

Emma appeared beside Anya, kneeling down to inspect the wound as Lexa looked up to see Bellamy wrapped in a floor length, green blanket.

"It looks very similar to Octavia's wound. It should have stopped bleeding now though. What happened, Lexa?"

Without answering Emma's question, Lexa raised her hand, inviting both Anya and Emma to latch onto it. Bellamy also knelt down, placing his hand against Lexa's as the brunette saw all three close their eyes. She channeled her images of what had happened in the forest. From discovering the beast hovering over Clarke, to the fight, all the way until she layed eyes on her Alpha and Luke.

Lexa had learned early on in her life that she had the ability to show others what she had seen herself. Whether it be a thought or dream or simply something that has happened to her. All they had to do was touch her, and the brunette showed them what she wanted them to see. It certainly came in handy, especially in cases like this.

Anya was the first to break the silence, after Lexa saw her pack mate's digest what they were shown. "I'm sorry for doubting you, Bellamy"

Bellamy simply shook his head, smiling at his Alpha as Emma gestured for Lexa to stand before leading her into the now open cabin.

"You're in no fit state to go anywhere right now, Lexa" Anya's stern voice hadn't surprised the others as they too had picked up on the brunette's anxious state. "Luke will inform me as soon as he has found Clarke"

Bellamy, now fully clothed, was sat beside Lexa on the sofa with one hand squeezing her thigh as Emma began cleaning the deep wound. The brunette hissed at the foreign stinging feeling whilst Emma used some alcohol to clean the wound.

As if on instinct, Lexa looked up at her mantle piece to find the small, wooden elephant still standing proudly on it's own. Her breathing had picked up as her heart rate increased at the thought of Clarke injured. She closed her eyes, willing the negative thoughts away before Anya came bounding down the stairs, a small smile playing on her lips.

"Luke's found her. He's found Clarke"


	10. Chapter 10

Raven's heart dropped at the sight of her best friend, bloodied and bruised, lying motionless on the hospital bed. She carefully shut the door behind her before pulling the chair up next to the bed, placing her hand gently on Clarke's arm. The blonde looked to have a nasty gash on her forehead and Raven remembered the doctors telling her about some sort of abdominal wound, but she zoned out half way through the conversation. All she needed to know was that Clarke was alive and was going to be ok. Which she was. As soon as the doctors informed her of that, the Latina had a mini break down before entering the room. For as long as she could remember her and Clarke had been partners in crime. She was the ying to her yang. The salt to her pepper.

Raven had been so caught up in her own thoughts, that she hadn't registered the door opening and shutting, only being brought back to reality when a gentle hand squeezed her shoulder. She lifted her free hand, placing it atop of Finn's before speaking.

"How's Abby?"

Finn never took his eyes away from Clarke as he spoke, "They don't know yet. The doctors said she suffered a severe head injury and lost quite a lot of blood. They have put her in a medical induced coma to try and reduce the swelling on her brain. My dad's with her. He said he would call if there was any news" Raven let out a staggered breath at Finn's words.

"What the hell were they doing out there?!"

Before Finn had time to answer his girlfriends frantic question, a soft moan sounded through the room. Raven squeezed Clarke's hand in her own, causing the blonde to moan again, louder this time though. She watched as her eyes began fluttering open, revealing a darker shade of blue than normal. Clarke momentarily began panicking until everything came flooding back. The woods. The monster. The wolf. Her mother.

"My mom" Clarke's quiet, hoarse voice caused Raven to cringe internally before she grabbed the cup of water, placing it under Clarke's chin, encouraging her to drink.

Raven watched Clarke take a few tentative sips as she began telling her what had happened to her mother, and how she was currently in a coma. The Latina watched Clarke nod her head in understanding before she began furrowing her brows, leading to a pained expression. Raven asked Finn to grab one of the doctors, which he did without hesitation, leaving both girls alone in the room once more.

Clarke felt like she had been hit by a truck. Literally. The pain was almost unbearable. She knew she had a bad cut on her forehead, if the headache was anything to go by. And she also knew she suffered some sort of abdominal trauma, but didn't quite know to what extent. It all still felt like a dream. Was she right in thinking that wolf saved her life? No, that was absolutely crazy to even think. A wild animal of that sort wouldn't just be running around saving random humans from gigantic beasts. Although, gigantic beasts don't usually go roaming around the forest. Clarke's head began to hurt the more she thought about it. Instead, she closed her eyes trying her best to clear her mind of any thoughts what so ever. Raven made sure to ruin that within the space of a few seconds. She always was the nosy one.

"Clarke, what the hell were you thinking going out in the woods by yourself?"

The blonde opened her eyes, getting ready to blow Raven off, but couldn't after seeing the look on her best friends face. She looked like she was about to burst into tears. Clarke instantly felt guilty, placing her hand back into Raven's and squeezing it slightly in reassurance.

"My mom's been struggling with her work and wanted to collect some samples. Something about her funding being cut by the higher up's in the company" Clarke had to take a breather before continuing, "She didn't think I knew, but I overheard her and Aaron talking the other day, so I told her I would help where I could" Raven nodded her head in understanding, but something still didn't sit right with what Clarke had told her.

"But, you can collect samples elsewhere, surely? Why would you need to be so far into the forest?"

The blonde inhaled deeply, "Because, apparently, there were sightings of some sort of wildlife that was thought to be extinct. My mom and Aaron have been working on rare species and their genomes. I guess she thought if we actually had scientific proof it would drastically help their research"

Raven was about to speak, opening her mouth but instantly closed it after the door opened once again, revealing two doctors alongside a disgruntled looking Finn. Clarke watched the doctors as they rounded her bed, standing side by side as Finn took his rightful place next to Raven again.

The older looking doctor, with light grey hair and weathered skin cleared his throat before speaking first. "Miss Griffin, my name is Dr Carson and this is Dr Smith" Clarke looked to his left to find a taller, broodier looking man with a tight lipped smile who nodded his head once in greeting. The blonde focused on Dr Carson as he continued to speak, noticing how he subconsciously flipped his pen back and forth with his fingers. "You suffered a minor abdominal wound, but luckily there was no serious internal damage. Your vital organs, as well as your blood vessels remain intact. We did have to stitch the wound up, and because of your head injury we would like to keep you in over night for observations. We will be sending you for a CT Scan, for your head wound, just to be on the safe side" Clarke absorbed the information being thrown at her, noticing how Dr Carson's skin around his kind, brown eyes wrinkled slightly as he smiled down at her.

"If there's anything you need, don't hesitate to call one of us, Miss Griffin" Dr Carson announced after administrating some pain medication. Clarke thanked both doctors, watching as Dr Smith's stoic expression didn't change once throughout the entire encounter. After hearing the door shut behind them, Clarke let her head fall back against the pillow, letting out a frustrated sigh whilst Finn dragged the extra chair up to sit on the opposite of the bed. The blonde turned her head, making eye contact with Finn's unreadable expression.

"Thank-you, Finn. If it wasn't for you and your dad, I don't know where we would be right now"

"It's alright, Clarke. I'm just glad we were out hunting and found you in time. We actually didn't know your mom was out there too"

Clarke furrowed her brows in confusion at her friends words. "So, how did she get here?"

"Some guy brought her in, not long after we arrived. He said he found her whilst he was out walking his dog in the woods. I swear he was on steroids or something, he was massive!" Raven rolled her eyes at her boyfriends words. He had always wished he was taller.

Clarke was about to question her friend further when a knock at the door silenced her. Raven looked from the door, back to Clarke with a confused expression before the blonde shouted for whoever it was to enter.

Aaron popped his head around the door with a goofy smile playing on his lips. He hesitantly stepped into the room, shifting awkwardly on his feet before Raven announced she needed coffee, making Finn follow her out of the room. Clarke watched him slowly walk closer to the bed, before he leant down and wrapped the blonde in his arms, giving her an awkward pat on the back as he retreated and sat where Raven previously was sat.

"I'm glad you're ok, Clarke" His voice came out slightly broken, as if he had just been crying. She didn't say anything of course, not wanting to embarrass the red head further as he seemed to be doing a good job of that himself with his cheeks visibly burning a deep red. Clarke simply smiled a genuine smile, which Aaron returned without a second thought. He really was a true friend. To both her and her mother. Especially when Clarke's father died. He was Abby's rock throughout the entire ordeal.

"How's my mom, Aaron?" Clarke asked without breaking eye contact with her friend. Aaron inhaled deeply, trying to find the right words to break the news to Clarke. He realised there were no right or wrong words when it came to situations like this. Clarke wanted hard facts, not whimsical promises and pipe dreams. She wasn't stupid. Hell, she was training to be a doctor herself. She probably already knew the answer. But she wanted to hear it from someone else. She needed to hear it from someone else. Someone she trusted and not some random doctor's she had never met before in her life.

"Abby. Your mother" Aaron corrected himself, "lost an excessive amount of blood. She suffered a blunt force trauma to the head, causing severe swelling to her brain. It's not looking good, Clarke" His voice wavered towards the end of his sentence, causing him to break eye contact with the blonde who felt tears falling down her cheeks before she even had time to register that she was crying. She quickly batted them away from her face at the same time the door flew open, revealing three armed men, all with stoic expressions on their faces followed by Sanders dressed in his usual attire. A three piece button up with the same blue tie.

Aaron was the first to react, standing straight from his chair, his face now void of any emotion too. "You don't have to do this. Please, don't do this" Clarke snapped her head back and forth between Sanders as Aaron's pleading voice echoed through the room. The red head raised his hands in front of him as he took a step towards Clarke's bed. One of the armed guards brought his assault rifle up, pointing it directly at Aaron as he leant his head slightly to the left, adjusting the gun.

"The girl has already seen too much" Sanders voice was surprisingly gravelly as it left his mouth. "Heath" Clarke watched as Sanders beckoned one of the guards closer to him, "You know what to do" And with his final words, Sanders was gone from the room. The blonde didn't have time to protest before she saw the other remaining guards dragging Aaron from her room, eventually hitting him over the head effectively silencing him.

Clarke was left with the largely built man known as Heath standing at the foot of her bed, slowly pulling his rifle up.

"Please, I won't tell anyone anything" The blonde tried her best to sound confident in her own words, but her voice came out shaky. Even she wasn't convinced by her words. "Please" She tried once more, seeing a brief flash of something in Heaths green eyes. Something akin to guilt or perhaps remorse. Still, it wasn't enough for him to put his gun down. _As if this day could get any worse._ Clarke thought to herself.

Clarke was sure she heard Heath whispering an 'I'm sorry' as he squeezed the trigger, but was momentarily stopped when the door flung open, almost flying off it's hinges as a huge man crashed into Heath causing him to fire the gun without aiming. Clarke began panting heavily as she felt a burning sensation through her chest. The blonde looked down to find her blood pouring out of the bullet wound, staining the white bedding a deep red color. The grunts and struggles of the fighting men faded into oblivion. The only thing she could hear was her own heart beat thumping in her ears. She could taste the metallicness of her blood in the back of her throat, threatening to pool out of her mouth at any moment. Her vision began fading for the second time that day. Death clearly waiting to take her away. The last thing she felt were two firm hands snaking behind her back, whilst her body was lifted into the air. Maybe this is what it felt like when death came for you. No more pain. No more tears. Just nothing.

Luke looked down at the unconscious blonde in his arms, her blood dripping down both of his arms. The sound of heavy foot steps began echoing through the main corridor, along with a few shouts and crackling of radio's. There was no way he would be able to get out the way he came in. He flung Clarke over his shoulder in a fire mans lift as he picked up one of the metal chairs with his free hand, launching it at the double windows. The chair went flying out, hitting the ground a few seconds after followed by a chorus of screams and shouts from below. The blinds began swaying with the new sensation of the hot summer wind. Luke yanked them away, as he looked down to see how far off the ground he was. _Doable._ He thought to himself just as a few gun shots were fired behind him. One hitting him in the shoulder whilst the other lodged into the wall just above his head. His wolf began growling, but Luke pushed him away as he launched himself and Clarke out of the window, hitting the ground with a large thump before setting off in a fast sprint across the car park. The sound of shouting becoming a distant echo the further away he got.

Luckily his super human strength and speed had him flying through the forest in no time, feeling a few stray branches catching him across his face. He knew he wasn't far from Lexa's cabin now. He could smell his pack mates, meaning they would surely be able to smell him too. Clarke was still alive, but barely as her breathing became even more labored.

He burst through the tree line, being met with a frantic Lexa being held back by Bellamy's strong arms. Anya was the first to approach him, having smelt his own blood first before Clarke's.

"Don't worry, I'll be fine. She needs to get inside" Luke announced as Anya nodded her head once, before turning and leading Luke back up towards Lexa's cabin. She beckoned Emma to follow her, seeing as though she was the most trained in all things to do with medicine. Emma looked back at Lexa with remorse filled eyes before closing the door to the cabin behind her.

"Let go of me Bellamy!" Lexa growled out as she continued to fight against her pack mate's arms. His death like grip only tightening around her petite frame.

"You can't do anything now, Lexa. You need to let Emma do her thing. You'll only get in the way if I let you in there!" Bellamy shot back, letting out calming pheromones which seemed to aggravate Lexa further. The brunette could feel her wolf over powering her emotions. The snarling sound from her throat only getting loader with every pheromone Bellamy excreted.

Eventually, her body began to tire. She knew there was nothing she could do now. Lexa gave up, slumping back into Bellamy's strong embrace. His arms never once moved from their position as Lexa's body rocked with every emotion running through her veins. No doubt Bellamy could feel them too. Anger. Hate. Love. Guilt. Everything rolled into one. She didn't know if she would survive this time. Costia's death had almost broken her. Hell, it did break her.

Lexa wasn't sure when, but they had somehow ended up on the floor, with Bellamy still holding Lexa in a tight embrace whilst her back pressed against his front. He never once uttered a word. He didn't have to. It felt like they were sat there for hours, until Anya finally emerged from the cabin, blood coating both of her hands. Lexa snapped her head to the left, immediately wriggling out of Bellamy's embrace and running to meet her Alpha at the bottom of the steps.

"She's alive. Emma managed to retrieve the bullet and stopped the bleeding for now" Lexa let out a tiny whimper. She wasn't sure if it was from herself or her wolf, but she continued to stare intently at Anya until the Alpha continued, "But she's still very weak. She most likely has internal injuries. There isn't much else we can do for her, Lexa"

The brunette turned around, clenching her jaw as Anya's words seared through her chest, hitting her in the heart. She could feel the blood dripping down her fingers from where her nails were digging into her flesh as she balled her hands up into fists by her body. Lexa could faintly hear Bellamy's voice behind her.

"Anya, look at her! She won't survive this time and you know it! There is another way, you just refuse to see it" Anya could feel the anger bubbling through her chest at Bellamy's words. She could see the pain evident behind his brown eyes, as he pointed towards Lexa, who was now on her knee's looking out at the misty lake. The sun had long since set, leaving the white moon shining down on them.

"We do not know if that will even work, Bellamy. Lexa doesn't need any kind of false hope"

Bellamy threw his arms up in the air as he began laughing manically, "Bullshit!"

The Alpha clenched her jaw, as she jutted her chin up in a commanding stance. "You will do well to remember your position, Bellamy" Her voice was cool and unwavering, causing Bellamy to bow his head in submission. She hated having to resort to that, but she could already feel Bellamy's anger radiating through him, threatening to spill out at any given moment.

"I am sorry, Alpha. But please, will you consider it? Clarke doesn't have long. You and I both know it. Her heart has already began beating slower. I can hear it" Bellamy whispered whilst chancing a glance at Lexa, who still hadn't moved. Anya followed Bellamy's line of sight, her heart dropping at the sight of her Beta. Without speaking, Anya turned from Bellamy, walking towards Lexa. She rested her hand on the brunette's shoulder as she knelt down, so she was now face to face with the younger girl. Bellamy watched as Anya leant closer to Lexa's ear, whispering something he couldn't quite decipher, until Lexa drew her head away, nodding once in agreement. The glimmer of hope in her glazed over eyes didn't go amiss to Bellamy as he watched his pack mate ascend the three steps leading to the cabin, before momentarily stopping with her hand resting on the door handle. The brunette inhaled deeply before pushing down on the handle and stepping into the dimly lit cabin, closing the door behind her, leaving Anya and Bellamy alone under the full moon.


	11. Chapter 11

Emma raised her head to find Lexa staring down at Clarke's un-moving body, her green eyes scanning the blonde intensely. She finished cleaning Luke's bullet wound, then placed a large bandage over the top to aid in the healing before rising to her feet, signalling for him to follow her out of the cabin.

Lexa barely registered her pack mate's leaving, completely focused on Clarke's chest rising and falling sporadically. The blonde's face wasn't it's usual blushing color, but instead a dull grey with a thin layer of sweat covering her features. Lexa knelt down beside the blonde, lifting her hand up to caress the other girls cheek softly. Clarke looked so serene. Lexa couldn't quite comprehend what she was about to do next. Sure, the thought had crossed her mind. She wanted nothing more than to share this life with Clarke. But she wanted Clarke to have a say in this more than anything. Lexa wanted to see her beautiful eyes open, so she could ask her if this is what she truly wanted.

The brunette held onto the hope that Clarke would magically wake up and be ok for a few more minutes before bowing her head in defeat. She removed her hand from Clarke's cheek, resting it against her forearm, as she brought her other up, placing it underneath Clarke's arm. Lexa closed her eyes. She felt her canines double in size, poking against the spongy flesh of her gums.

Clarke's arm was suspended in the air, being supported by Lexa's hands who now had her eyes open, shining a brilliant green. "I'm sorry" She found herself whispering aloud as she brought her mouth down, sinking her teeth into Clarke's soft arm, immediately breaking the skin. The blonde's blood began pooling into Lexa's mouth. It was warm and thick, but caused Lexa to grimace at the foreign taste it left. The brunette made sure to clean Clarke's new wound before wrapping a bandage around it and gently placing her arm atop of her stomach.

Lexa rocked by on her heels, not quite believing what she had just done. She looked down at her now shaking hands, finding a few smears of Clarke's blood. She jumped up, running across the room towards the kitchen where she stuck both of her hands under the tap, not caring about her flesh burning under the scolding water. There were a thousand things going through Lexa's mind. Various scenario's always ending in Clarke's death, causing her to instantly feel nauseous. The brunette continued to furiously scrub both hands under the water, trying her best to wipe away the events of the day.

"Lexa" Luke's soft voice sounded out from beside her. She ignored it and continued with her current task, refusing to look at her pack mate. He turned the tap off, however realised Lexa wouldn't stop scrubbing her hands. She wasn't going to have any skin left if she kept this up. So, he pulled her hands apart forcefully, feeling her fight back instantly, trying to break away from his vice like grip.

"Lexa!" The brunette snapped her head up as soon as she heard Octavia's voice, her green eyes filling with tears as she watched her oldest friend stride towards her, arms open. Lexa pushed herself off Luke, instantly feeling Octavia's warm arms embracing her in a tight hug. She hid her head in the crook of Octavia's neck as she felt the tears falling from her eyes, not caring anymore. Her emotions floored her. Everything that had happened to Costia came flooding back, followed by the entire events of the day leading up to Clarke practically dying on her couch.

Emma's wolf whimpered slightly at the sight before her, causing Bellamy to take her hand in his own, pulling her towards Clarke who was being checked over by Anya.

"How is she?" Emma asked tentatively as she knelt down beside Anya, who continued to monitor Clarke. The Alpha didn't reply straight away, instead she unwrapped Clarke's arm revealing the newly bitten flesh. It still oozed slightly, but it was the surrounding area that caused Emma to gasp. Clarke's veins popped out of her skin, weaving in and out of one another, coming together to form an intricate spiders web.

Both Emma and Bellamy were brought out of their stupor by the sound of their Alpha's calm voice, "This is a good sign. It means Lexa's werewolf venom is mixing with Clarke's blood. Her wounds should begin to heal once the venom has successfully infiltrated Clarke's antibodies"

"Are you sure?" The room filled with complete silence once Lexa's broken voice had spoken. Anya looked up to find Lexa's glazed over eyes staring at Clarke's arm, studying the bite wound.

"No one can be 100% sure of these things, Lexa. I do not wish to give you false hope. But, the fact that Clarke is still breathing is a good sign. It means she hasn't rejected the venom" Lexa's face shriveled up at that word. She hated that her body even had venom within it, let alone that it had the power to kill another human being with a simple bite or scratch. The brunette simply nodded her head in understanding, not trusting her capability to form a coherent sentence whilst looking at Clarke's broken body.

Anya ushered Emma and Bellamy away to make room for Lexa, who smiled in appreciation at her Alpha before sitting down gently on the sofa next to Clarke. She took the blonde's hand in her own, stroking the skin around the bite wound. Her wolf began purring softly at the interaction.

Lincoln emerged from the kitchen, wrapping his arms around Octavia's waist whilst resting his chin on her shoulder. The younger girl leaned into his warm embrace as they both watched Lexa stroking Clarke's arm.

"Have you ever come across a human turned werewolf before, Linc?"

"I haven't, no. But I've heard stories of them. They're supposedly stronger at first, just like pups. Then they mature after a few months. Same as we do" Octavia knew they were wives tails, but Lincoln's words still settled her nerves.

"Come on, let's head to bed. Emma's staying watch and I don't think Lexa's going anywhere anytime soon" Lincoln simply hummed in agreement before he felt Octavia's hand slipping in his own and dragging him up the stairs.

Lexa felt her eyes drooping every now and then. Sleep trying and failing to take her away from reality. Eventually she gave in after hearing Clarke's steady breathing, clearly the blonde's health was already improving, pulling a tiny smile onto Lexa's lips.

Lexa stood alone, her bare feet digging into the soft ground below, as she slowly opened her eyes. The trees surrounded her on either side, with the sun rays fighting their way through the thousands of leaves. She inhaled the sweet smell of pine wood as her feet began moving forward, taking her to god knows where. The pain from her leg wound now non existent as she climbed over various fallen branches. As soon as her feet hit the ground, she heard the soft patting of paws against the mossy vegetation. The familiar scent of a wolf filled her senses. But not one of her pack mates. No, she would have been able to identify which one the scent belonged to if it was.

Then she saw it. The dazzling white wolf, with vivid violet eyes looking directly back at her human form. Lexa's breath hitched in her throat at the sight. She couldn't move. She couldn't speak. She simply stood frozen in time, watching the wolf as it took one step towards her. Then another. And another, until it stood directly in front of her. Touching distance. And that's exactly what Lexa wanted to do. The brunette brought her hand up, tentatively reaching out to place it against the wolf's silky fur, but halted her movements when Clarke's husky voice filled her mind, "Lexa, wake up"

Lexa jolted awake, feeling a sweaty palm clinging onto her own for dear life. She looked down to find Clarke still unconscious, but looking much better than she had the previous night. The brunette sighed heavily in relief before leaning back against the couch once more and closing her eyes, trying her best to block out the sun light shining through the adjacent window.

"Hey, sleepy head" Bellamy's chipper voice caused Lexa to open one eye, finding him towering over her with a mug in his hand. He smiled as he offered her the cup, which Lexa greedily took before thanking him, never once letting go of Clarke's hand.

"How long was I out?" Lexa managed to ask between sipping her coffee and glancing at Clarke's twitching body.

"A good 15 hours or so. Clarke's been twitching and mumbling for most of the night. She's not mumbling anything coherent, but I'm pretty sure she was trying to say your name most of the time. Emma's been checking her every hour. Her wounds are already healing, and her fever has gone down tremendously" Lexa felt a smile creeping onto her face at the news. "We're just waiting for her to wake up now"

The brunette nodded her head in understanding before downing the rest of her coffee, almost instantly feeling better for it. She gratefully handed the mug back to Bellamy then returned her gaze to Clarke, watching her chest rise and fall consistently. Her brows were no longer furrowed together in pain, but resting normally above her closed eye lids. Her lips were parted slightly as Lexa heard her inhaling and exhaling.

"She's alive!" Octavia's almost too loud voice sounded out through Lexa's cabin, causing the brunette to snap her head in the direction of the unwelcome interruption. She found Octavia smirking at her from across the room, with one eye brow raised and her left hand resting against her hip. "Me and Lincoln thought you might have actually died in your sleep"

Lexa simply rolled her eyes in response as she watched the younger girl hop over the side of the arm chair, landing with a huff and a huge toothy grin plastered on her face.

"What's got you all smiley?"

Octavia raised her brows as she spoke, "Jeez, what's crawled up your bum and died?" After seeing Lexa's un-amused expression, Octavia let out an aggravated sigh before explaining herself. "Me and Lincoln had a bet on how long you were going to be out. I won, of course. Listen, I know you're worried about her but she will be fine"

Lexa broke eye contact with Octavia's now too intense stare, and instead focused down at her and Clarke's inter linked hands. "How do you know that, O?"

Octavia watched Lexa looking away from her as she spoke timidly. She leant over the low coffee table to place her own hand atop of Lexa's free one, squeezing slightly, hoping to calm the brunette down. Lexa finally looked up, linking eyes with her pack mate again to find her smiling sadly in return. Octavia went to open her mouth to speak further but was cut off by a small voice coming from the opposite end of the couch, causing Lexa to straighten her posture, almost towering over Clarke.

The words coming from the blonde's mouth were completely incoherent. Lexa felt panic overwhelm her. What if she rendered Clarke mute? What if she had brain damage? Octavia stood, rounding the table and placing her hand supportively on Lexa's shoulder, hoping to stop the brunette from panicking. It didn't help one bit. Lexa's heart rate increased the longer Clarke acted in this manner. She began squeezing Clarke's hand in her own, trying to get her out of the trance like state she was in. The blonde hadn't even opened her eyes yet, but her body began wriggling on it's on accord.

"Clarke. Calm down, it's me. It's Lexa" The brunette placed her free hand against Clarke's warm cheek, "Please, just open your eyes. Can you do that for me?" She began stroking Clarke's cheek bone with her thumb once she felt the blonde stop struggling. "That's it, you're ok, Clarke" Lexa's voice was almost a whisper. Octavia wasn't quite sure if she was reassuring herself or the blonde.

"Mmm, t-rexa" Octavia stifled a laugh at Clarke's words, causing Lexa to give her a pointed look before she returned to reassuring the blonde with her soft words and touches.

After a few more minutes of Clarke's incoherent rambling, she finally managed to utter Lexa's name whilst opening her eyes revealing the brightest shade of cerulian blue Lexa had ever seen. Octavia patted Lexa on her shoulder before leaving the two girls alone, with Lexa smiling warmly down at Clarke who was completely focused on Lexa's face.

Clarke found herself getting lost in Lexa's deep green eyes, as she brought her hand up connecting it with Lexa's strong cheek bone. The heat radiating from Lexa almost caused Clarke to pull her hand away but was stopped when she felt the brunette's hand cupping it, bringing it back against her face. Clarke soon realised it wasn't Lexa's face that was burning, but her own body. She felt like she was on fire. The heat completely engulfing her, causing her to push Lexa away slightly so she could shift her body into a seated position.

Lexa watched Clarke intensely as the blonde broke eye contact, still not uttering a word apart from her name. She watched as Clarke stared down at her hands, with her brows furrowed together and lips slightly parted. The brunette tentatively reached out for Clarke with her own hands before speaking, "Hey, it's ok"

Clarke, however, pulled her hands away from Lexa, immediately standing up and looking around the room with a panicked stricken face.

"Clarke, just calm down" Lexa's soothing voice was like music to Clarke's ears, but it didn't stop the insufferable heat running through her veins. It didn't stop her blurring vision. It didn't stop the thumping head ache caused by her own heart beat. She began stepping away from Lexa who continued to approach Clarke with her hands held out in front of her, signalling that she wouldn't hurt the blonde. It wasn't her own safety she was scared for, it was Lexa's.

"No!" Clarke's pleading voice halted Lexa's movements, but she never tore her gaze away from Clarke. She watched as the blonde stepped further away from her, hearing her breath hitch as tears leaked from her glazed over blue eyes. Lexa's chest constricted as she felt Clarke's distress running through her veins. Before she could react, Clarke made a run for the cabin door, barging through the wood and bounding down the porch steps, stopping momentarily to find her best escape route. The dazzling sun was too much for her. She ended up squinting whilst shading her eyes with her hands as she wobbled towards the tree line.

Lexa ran after Clarke, practically diving over the wooden barrier of her porch. Clarke's blonde waves flowed freely, swaying gently in the summer wind, still smelling of her strawberry flavored shampoo. It didn't take long for Lexa to catch up, gently grasping onto Clarke's wrist effectively stopping her footsteps and spinning her around on the spot. The blonde's heart melted at the look of pure concern in Lexa's green orbs staring pleadingly back at her.

"Clarke" Lexa breathed out before she heard footsteps coming from behind her. The smell hit her nose instantly recognizing it as Jess, her pack mate. Lexa didn't need to see her to acknowledge the anger radiating from the older wolf. She could feel it from miles away.

Lexa slowly turned around, effectively shielding Clarke's body with her own as she watched a furious looking Jess striding across her lawn, with Octavia and Emma in tow.

"You turned her?!" Jess's anger riddled voice caused Clarke to flinch, where as Lexa's resolve didn't falter once. Instead, she took a deep breath before replying.

"Yes" Lexa's calm one word answer sent Jess spiraling further into oblivion, clenching her jaw as she peered over Lexa's shoulder in disgust at Clarke.

"I can't believe you, Lexa. Do you even realize how dangerous that is? Not to mention, how unnatural it is?!" Lexa didn't miss the same look of disgust flash across Jess' face as she threw her arms up in the air, revealing her claw like fingers already making an appearance. Her usual brown eyes deepened in color, almost turning black as she snapped her head to lock eyes with Lexa again.

"Calm down" Lexa's stern voice sent a fresh wave of anger surging through Jess as she felt her wolf begging to take control. The brunette heard Jess' wolf bubbling with rage as a growl reverberated from her heaving chest, causing Lexa to hold her right arm out in the air, further shielding a confused Clarke.

"Lexa, I don't understand" Clarke's shaken voice caused Lexa to turn her head slightly but immediately snapped it back in the opposite direction as the sound of clothes ripping spread through the hot summer air. The sound of Clarke's dramatic gasp didn't go unmissed by Lexa, who stared intently at Jess' wolf, watching her every move as the other girl adjusted to her wolf form.

"Jess!" Emma's cries did nothing to snap Jess from her state of fury as the wolf began ascending on Lexa and Clarke's position. Octavia held Emma back, knowing full well Jess was too far gone at this point to be able to do anything. She just hoped Lexa knew what she was doing.

"Clarke, step back, slowly" Lexa's low voice sent shivers down Clarke's spine as she took a few steps back, eyes agape at the humongous wolf stalking Lexa, with it's snout pulled back revealing long, deadly canines. Her whole body shook with fear as she heard the menacing snarl rippling through it's chest.

Clarke was so transfixed on the still moving wolf, that she hadn't realised Lexa had shrugged off her jacket and thrown it across the floor, landing a small distance away from the.

"Lexa.." Clarke didn't have time to question the brunette before she witnessed her arching her back, then falling to her knees as the sound of ripping clothes filled the air once more. The blonde stopped breathing altogether once she realised what had just happened. Lexa. Her Lexa, had turned into a wolf. A wolf. And not just any wolf. The black wolf. From her dreams. From the woods. It was all too much. She felt herself falling to the ground after tripping up over her own feet, now leaning back on both hands as she watched the heavily panting wolves descend on each other slowly.

Clarke instinctively brought her hands up to cover both ears at the growl that resonated from Lexa's wolf, before she crouched down into a fighting stance to steady herself from Jess's impending attack. Jess' wolf flew through the air, her muzzle pulled back and teeth bared as she barreled into Lexa's black wolf, sending them both flying backwards. Clarke had to dive to the right in order to stop herself becoming a squashed ant. Lexa looked to do an acrobatic flip backwards as she landed on all four paws, and skidded back slightly before charging at Jess who was still gathering herself. Lexa's wolf seemed to have the upper hand. She was visibly bigger than Jess and stronger too. Clarke watched in awe as the black wolf rammed it's shoulder into the light brown wolf again and again, knocking her back towards the trees, away from Clarke.

Emma sprinted across the grassy floor, kneeling down beside a shocked Clarke, pulling her up by both arms and dragging her over to where Octavia stood un-moving. Bellamy and Lincoln emerged from the tree line, sweat dripping down their foreheads and chests heaving. They each looked over at Octavia and Emma before snapping their heads to the right towards the fighting scene.

"Shit" Bellamy hissed as he jogged over to Lexa's wolf, who was getting ready to snap Jess' back leg in two. He pulled his shirt over his head, instantly willing his wolf to take over as his last pair of shorts ripped from his body. Without thinking, he plowed into Lexa's wolf, sending them skidding across the floor. The black wolf rose to her feet again, growling deeply at Bellamy's actions. He simply shook his fur and pushed Lexa back again, away from Jess' wolf who lay submissively on the floor.

Lexa looked down at Jess' cowering wolf, letting out a huff in annoyance before lifting her head and connecting her eyes with Clarke's. The blonde's eyes remained agape and her lips quivered ever so slightly as she stared intensely at Lexa.

Emma picked up on the change in atmosphere, immediately dashing to Jess' side to assess her wounds. The wolf would surely be battered and bruised for the next few days, but Lexa hadn't caused her any life threatening injuries. Luckily. Jess' usual light brown fur was coated in smears of red blood, mostly from herself but Emma guessed some of Lexa's was probably mixed up in there too. Zak came charging across the field, skidding onto his knees and taking Jess' head onto his lap, whispering soft words of comfort as Jess began whimpering when Emma raised her injured leg in the air, checking to see if it was broken.

"Lincoln, I need you to help me get her in the truck. We need to get back to Anya's" Lincoln wasted no time in helping Emma carry Jess' limp wolf form and placing her on the back of Zak's truck. Octavia was glad Emma suggested taking Jess away. God knows what Lexa would do if she so much as looked at Clarke the wrong way.

Octavia hadn't noticed at first, but at some point during the whole ordeal Clarke had taken Octavia's hand in her own and was currently crushing the bones. The blonde must have sensed Octavia's change in demeanor and instantly freed her hand from her own.

Before Clarke could apologize, Octavia spoke soft words of encouragement, "It's alright. I'm Octavia by the way" Clarke mirrored the other girls smile before turning her head to look at the black wolf once more. It stood tall, still unmoved from it's previous position, but Clarke couldn't help but notice blood oozing above it's eye line. She took a few steps forward, never once breaking eye contact with the wolf, stopping only a couple of feet away. Clarke knelt down, making her eye line match the wolf's as she raised her hand slowly towards it's large head. The wolf took one small step forward, closing the gap completely, letting Clarke's soft hand touch her fur.

"Is it really you?" Clarke's words were barely audible. Just loud enough for Lexa to hear, who nodded her large head in answer to the blonde's question. Clarke inhaled sharply as she looked between Lexa's vivid green eyes, instantly feeling the heat creeping up her neck. Her hand had subconsciously began stroking Lexa's soft fur, causing the black wolf to emit a purring sound, vibrating through Clarke's whole body. Could this really be happening? She knew there was something about Lexa that Clarke couldn't quite describe. But she never in a million years thought this would be the explanation behind it. She needed answers.

"Lexa, I need answers. Now" Clarke surprised herself at her own assertiveness as she watched Lexa nod her head again before walking around the blonde's body, signalling for her to follow the wolf back to the cabin.


	12. Chapter 12

Clarke sat on the same sofa she was resting on not an hour earlier, head in her hands, as she rubbed soothing circles against her throbbing temples. The splitting head ache she was sporting wasn't the thing that was troubling her though. It was the reason behind the headache. Or reasons. The first being that Lexa, the girl that had set up permanent residence in Clarke's heart, was a werewolf. The second being that she didn't know whether her mother was still alive. And if she was, then where the hell was she? And the third was that there had been three attempts on her life today, and for some unknown reason she was still breathing. God knows how.

Clarke shook her head vigorously before pushing herself off the couch. The waiting was killing her. Not literally of course, because that should have happened already. Three times to be exact. She rolled her eyes at her own ridiculous thoughts before walking across the room towards the grand stone fire place. She'd noticed it as she followed Lexa into the cabin but was too distracted to actually check it out. The blonde raised her hand, lifting the wooden elephant from it's resting place and simply stared down at it as it lay in both of her hands. Her brows scrunched together in realization. She had told Lexa that elephants were her favorite animal. The same girl that had just been viciously attacking another wolf had crafted this little elephant. The thought alone sent her stomach spiraling with butterflies. Before she had time to put the statue back, Lexa's small voice startled Clarke, leading her to almost drop it.

"I didn't even realize what I was making until I'd finished it" Clarke didn't have time to blink before Lexa was standing by her side, fully dressed, and lifting the elephant from her hands. The brunette carefully placed it back on top of the mantle piece before turning her head to look at Clarke. Her concern filled cerulean eyes looked back at Lexa with something that the brunette couldn't quite decipher lying behind them.

"Here, sit down. Let me clean that gash on your head" Clarke tore her gaze away and signaled for Lexa to take a seat whilst she left to get some supplies from the kitchen.

Lexa didn't even know where to start. She never in a million years thought she would have to explain her existence to a human, seeing as though she never has as of yet. Her pack have always been the most important people in her life. Before that, her father was. He wasn't a werewolf but his father was, Lexa's grandfather. He was the one to teach her everything about being a werewolf. The mere thought of Clarke rejecting her sent her wolf into a frenzy.

On Clarke's return, the blonde didn't meet Lexa's eyes but instead focused on the task at hand. She dragged a chair up to sit beside Lexa on the arm chair, placing her medical equipment on the coffee table next to them. Well, it was more like cleaning equipment than anything medical, but it would have to do for now.

"This might sting a bit" Clarke warned as she dabbed a towel into some alcohol before bringing it up to Lexa's eyebrow, gently wiping it across the deep gash. Lexa, however, didn't even flinch seeing as though she didn't feel any pain from the touch. She didn't bother telling Clarke that the wound would have healed by the next day. Lexa wasn't going to unsettle the blonde any more than she had to. Instead, she enjoyed the other girl being close to her. Lexa watched intently as Clarke's tongue poked out a bit whilst she concentrated on cleaning the brunette's wound. She noticed the change in Clarke's breathing, causing Lexa to lift her eyes, instantly met with the blonde's glazed over blue eyes staring back.

Neither of them dared to move, scared of what was to come. They continued to stare into each other's eyes, as if reading the other's souls. It felt like hours until Clarke inhaled sharply before speaking.

"What are you?"

Lexa closed her eyes, not wanting to see the look in Clarke's eyes as she spoke, "I'm a werewolf, Clarke" The brunette felt Clarke moving away from her. Her wolf whined from within after realizing she could no longer feel the blonde's breath against her face.

Before she could react, Lexa felt two warm hands resting against her thighs, the sweet smell of Clarke's shampoo filling her nostrils. The brunette slowly opened her eyes to find Clarke staring up at her from a kneeling position, with that same questionable look in her eyes from earlier.

"Why are you not running for the hills, Clarke?" Lexa asked with her brows furrowed together forming a frown.

Clarke, completely thrown by the question, answered honestly, "I don't know"

Before Lexa could respond, Clarke went on to explain herself, "What I do know is that I'm not scared of you, Lexa. But, I need to know what's going on. Like where my mom is? And how I ended up here"

Lexa nodded her head before going on to reveal everything that had happened since the attack in the woods. She told Clarke about Luke taking her mother to the same hospital that she was taken to, and how he stayed to see how the blonde was. Lexa didn't miss how Clarke left one hand on her thigh whilst her other began rubbing her temple. She went on to explain how Luke had saved her life after being shot and brought her straight back here.

"So I didn't imagine being shot? How long was I asleep, Lexa? It must have been a pretty long time for me to heal from a gun shot wound" Clarke had risen from her kneeling position and was now pacing the living room, both of her hands rubbing subconsciously at her worsening headache.

"You were unconscious for just over 12 hours" Lexa stated as she continued to watch Clarke, who had turned to look back at the brunette, confusement etched across her face.

"I don't understand" Lexa rose from her seat and took a few tentative steps towards the obviously shaken blonde, who stood frozen, staring at Lexa with wild eyes.

"Clarke" Lexa breathed out but was halted by the blonde's hand pressing firmly against her chest, stopping her from getting any closer.

"It's impossible. I was impaled in the forest. I got shot point blank in the chest! I shouldn't be here, Lexa! Just tell me the truth!" Clarke's anger riddled voice caused Lexa to step back, her right hand held up in the air in surrender.

"I'm telling you the truth, Clarke" Lexa tried to keep her voice as calm as she could but it was proving difficult considering how much anger was radiating through Clarke.

"Stop! Just stop lying! You've done nothing but lie to me since I met you!" Lexa watched on in horror as Clarke lifted the arm chair with one hand and launched it across the room, sending it crashing into the fire place and splintering into dozens of pieces. The air between them was tense. Lexa didn't take her wide eyes away from Clarke, who from the looks of it was just as surprised with her own actions as Lexa was. The blonde began hyperventilating as she looked down at her shaking hands, whilst the same blazing heat from earlier began creeping up her neck again, warming her entire body from head to toe.

Lexa closed the distance between them, taking Clarke's shaking hands, before pulling the blonde's body against her own, holding her in a tight embrace. Clarke was hesitant at first, trying her best to fight Lexa off, but the brunette simply held her tighter, not giving in. Eventually, Clarke relaxed and wormed her arms around Lexa's middle, holding on for dear life as the tear dam broke.

"What's happening to me?" Clarke whispered into Lexa's chest as the tears continued to stream down her cheeks.

Lexa didn't answer the question straight away and instead led Clarke over to the sofa where she gently positioned herself and the blonde down against it, never once letting go of the other girl. Lexa looked down, instantly finding Clarke's right arm that was still bandaged, and brought it up so it was resting between their bodies.

"You didn't tell me about this one. Did I get this one in the forest?" Clarke asked slowly as she looked down at her own bandaged arm, not remembering how she got a wound there.

"No. This one is..." Clarke noticed Lexa's voice get caught in her throat, so raised her head to look into Lexa's eyes. The brunette, however, refused to meet Clarke's stare and instead continued to stare down at the arm between them, not wanting to reveal what she had done. The truth behind why Lexa did what she did scared her beyond words. The thought of anything happening to Clarke was something indescribable. The one thing Lexa knew for certain was that she couldn't live without the blonde. If Clarke died, she died.

"Hey, I found out that you're a werewolf today. How can anything compete against that?" Clarke's attempt at humor caused Lexa even more heart ache. How could she be so calm about all of this?! Lexa shook her head, willing the thoughts away as she turned to meet Clarke's deep blue eyes.

"This" Lexa tapped her fingers against the bandage on Clarke's arm as she continued to speak, "is my doing. You were mere minutes from dying, Clarke. I couldn't just watch you die" Clarke felt a growl ripple through Lexa's chest as she finished her sentence. She leant back, away from Lexa as she removed her arm and began undoing the bandages slowly. The gasp that left her mouth was completely involuntary as she stared down at the protruding wound. The veins surrounding it looked like they were going to burst at the slightest of touches.

Lexa clenched her jaw as she watched Clarke running her fingers over the still inflamed bite wound.

"This is why I'm alive?" Clarke asked without removing her eyes from the wound.

"Yes"

"Is it a bite?"

"Yes"

"Your bite?"

"Yes, Clarke"

"You did this to save me?"

"Yes"

"Why?" Clarke asked, again without removing her eyes from the wound.

"Because, I couldn't watch you die" Lexa answered honestly whilst still watching Clarke, but soon regretted it as Clarke's intense gaze landed on her own. Her stomach dropped as she saw the pain behind Clarke's eyes.

"But why?"

Lexa took a deep breath before replying, "Because I can't live without you, Clarke"

If the look on Clarke's face was anything to go by, it was that she certainly wasn't expecting that answer. Her eyes grew wider in shock, as her breathing picked up dramatically. Lexa reached out her hand to place atop of Clarke's but the blonde batted it away as she stood abruptly, leaving a confused Lexa behind.

"Clarke!" Lexa shouted after the blonde who was marching towards the front door, getting ready to leave for the second time that day. Clarke turned, holding her hand out in front of Lexa, effectively halting the brunette's movements.

"Don't!" Clarke warned as Lexa took one step closer before stopping all together. "You can't live without me, so you bite me?! And then what, I'm supposed to become a werewolf like you and we run off into the sunset together?!" Clarke's anger was visibly evident in her eyes as she took a step away from Lexa back towards the front door.

"Clarke, please. I'm sorry" Lexa's pleading voice caused Clarke to stop with her hand resting against the door knob. Something in her was telling her to turn around. To take Lexa in her arms and forgive her. To tell Lexa that she was sorry too and that she wouldn't have been able to watch her die either. But she didn't. Instead, she never looked back as she walked out of the cabin, slamming the door shut behind her.

The anger bubbling up in her chest was almost causing Clarke to stop breathing. This kind of anger was something she had never felt before. It was pure rage. She vaguely registered someone touching her wrist, pulling her back before she twisted the hand that rested on her wrist, practically snapping it in half as she shoved said person into the ground below. The realization of what she had done slapped her across the face as Lexa's broken green eyes stared back up at her, tears visibly threatening to fall.

Clarke immediately released Lexa's hand and watched as the brunette grimaced in pain as she held her broken wrist against her chest, whilst still looking up at Clarke. The blonde panicked and ran, completely blocking out Lexa's pleading cries as she barreled into the forest, not once looking back. The adrenaline kicked in, sending Clarke flying through the tree's at an alarmingly quick pace. She needed to escape. Escape from what though she wasn't sure. Clarke wasn't even sure what she was running from at this point, but she kept moving, her feet not stopping as she flew over fallen branches and deep mud puddles.

Eventually her chest began to restrict, causing Clarke to finally stop running. She bent over, resting her hands against her legs as she panted heavily, trying to take in as much oxygen as possible. It wasn't until her breathing returned to it's normal pace that she noticed it wasn't daylight anymore. The bright moon light shone through the trees, illuminating the dense forest surrounding her. She must have been running for hours and covered god knows how many miles since leaving Lexa's cabin. Her mind began to wander back to the look on Lexa's face as she threw her on the ground. How her usual bright green eyes, that shone with life, turned to a dull grey color. Something unfamiliar began rumbling in the pit of her stomach at the thought of Lexa hurt. She needed to go back. She needed to see Lexa.

Clarke began turning her body in each direction and let out an exasperated sigh after realizing she had no idea where she was or how to get home. Instantly, she snapped her head around to the right, feeling a pull from an invisible force as if telling her that was the way to go. As soon as she began walking, somehow she knew it was the right way. It was weird, and completely illogical but she just knew. She knew it would lead her back to Lexa.

"Jesus, how far did I actually go?!" Clarke announced to nobody but herself as she continued to trudge through the forest, with the moon gradually disappearing from the sky. The blonde knew she must have been close, considering the sun would be rising within the next hour or so, signalling that she had been walking back for almost the entire night. She began to smell the soft morning dew lining the trees, bringing a small smile to her face as she gradually picked up the pace, intent on reaching her destination. The sound of the waking birds tweeting confirmed her suspicions. She was close.

Clarke squinted as she saw the tree line gradually getting closer. She could just about make out the outline of Lexa's cabin through the breaks in the trees causing her body to radiate heat as her nerves took over all her other senses. Before she could take another step, she felt an arm curl around her waist, pulling her back roughly as her attackers hand snaked around her body and covered her mouth with a thick tissue. She tried her best to fight back, but felt her body slip into oblivion as she inhaled the familiar scent of Chloroform, causing her vision to turn black as her body slumped down against the ground before she felt unconsciousness envelop her completely.


	13. Chapter 13

"Raven! Raven!" Aaron hissed across the room, releasing a heavy breath in relief after seeing the younger girl coming to. She began groaning as she opened her eyes, scanning the brightly lit room around her. Her eyes landed on Aaron's for the briefest of moments before she began to panic. Her arms were raised above her head, a cold metal chain keeping them in place, effectively reducing her mobility. She tried fighting against them for a few minutes, ignoring Aaron's pleads, but soon gave up after realizing they were way too strong for her.

"Fuck!" She cried out, scrunching her eyes together and dropping her head in defeat.

"It's ok" Aaron whispered from across the room, hoping to comfort Raven after seeing tears slipping down her cheeks. She immediately shook her head, wiping her cheeks against her shoulders before pulling on the chains once more.

Aaron didn't speak again for a while, he simply watched Raven fight a losing war against her own chains. She needed an outlet, and this was it. After at least an hour of frustrated grunts and cries in angst, Raven's body slumped in exhaustion against the wall. She raised her head, looking directly at Aaron with tired brown eyes. His heart dropped as he took in her disheveled appearance. Her eyes were thoroughly blood shot, along with a cut lining her cheek bone which had already turned black from bruising. Her chest no longer heaved, but her breathing was still faster than it should normally be.

"How long has it been?" Raven asked whilst tearing her gaze away from Aaron's concern filled eyes. Instead she scanned the room, finding nothing but four padded, white walls, including a padded door on the far side wall and a camera in the top right hand corner.

"They brought you in just after me. If I had to guess, probably around ten hours" Aaron followed Raven's line of sight, landing on the camera pointing down at them from the ceiling.

"Well, shit. Ten hours" Raven repeated as if trying to help her comprehend the information. "Who are they?" She asked, looking back at Aaron's bruised and bloodied face.

"The company I've been working for, for the past five years. Sanders and his men dragged me out of Clarke's hospital room. The next thing I know, I'm waking up in here" Aaron decided not to mention what Sanders was planning to do when he was dragged away from Clarke. He had to turn his head away from Raven's intense glare, too guilt stricken to deal with it.

"Holy shit, Clarke! Is she ok? And who the hell is this Sanders guy?!"

"I don't know, Raven. Sanders, he's the head of the company. I knew he was pretty hard headed, but I never thought he was capable of that" Aaron breathed out, not entirely sure if he was talking to himself or Raven anymore. The Latina simply scrunched her face up, completely confused by Aaron's words.

"Ok, I'm gonna need to you to start at the beginning. And don't leave out any gory details, I have a very visual imagination" Raven's response unsettled Aaron. He didn't want to have to tell her this, knowing her and Clarke were best friends. He nodded his head slowly, this was better coming from him anyway.

So, he went on to reveal everything to Raven. From Sanders threatening to cut the company funding, to Clarke and Abby working in the woods to prevent that from happening. Everything right up until Aaron was taken from Clarke's room. The last thing he remembered was a gun being pointed at Clarke, her blue eyes full of fear as she watched Aaron being dragged away from her. He had failed the one thing he had promised Abby. To protect Clarke. To help Clarke whenever she needed it. He had failed Clarke's father, his best friend.

Raven simply stared at Aaron in disbelief as she watched the red head fall apart in front of her. He constantly apologized, chanting 'I'm sorry' and rocking his body back and forth as if he were performing some demonic ritual. She refused to believe that Clarke was dead. No, it couldn't be real. Raven shook her head as she began fighting against the chains again, with more vigor this time. If someone were to walk in, she would swear they would think they'd walked into a loony bin. What with Aaron rocking back and forth with his head in his hands and Raven practically screaming whilst pulling on the chains, both feet planted firmly on the wall to give her more resistance against the chains. It was no use though, the chains weren't budging and Aaron certainly wasn't calming down any time soon.

Eventually there was a tiny beeping sound filling the room, gradually getting louder, effectively covering Aaron's disjointed cries and Ravens grunts. It became so loud it almost pierced Raven's ear drums, stopping her from struggling against the chains and instead she subconsciously pulled her hands to cover both ears. She look across the room to find Aaron in the exact same position she was in, no longer crying or body rocking.

"That's much better" The voice came from nowhere in particular, but still managed to fill the room, causing both Aaron and Raven to share a look of confusion before the voice continued, "Now, I presume you're wondering why you're here? Good question indeed. You're here because you have both proved to be invaluable to me" The gruff, British laced voice made Raven frown as she stared intently up at the camera, presuming this mysterious person was also watching them.

"Alright, sonny" Raven quipped back in her best British accent, "how about you come down here and greet us in person? Seeing as though, we're so valuable to you" After a few silent minutes, Raven puffed her chest out, her head raised, believing she had won. Before she had anymore time to boast, the padded door swung open. Aaron and Raven snapped their heads towards the door, eyes wide as they watched a largely built man sauntering in the room.

"You were right, Raven. Meeting you in person is much better than through a camera" The mysterious man's golden eyes bore into Raven's own, sending a strange feeling flooding through her body. It was like a million tiny electric shocks pricking her skin all at once. She watched as he slowly knelt down, pulling up his black suit pants to give him more room to maneuver.

"My name is Ryder" His face was void of any emotion, but his eyes flickered with something unfamiliar. Raven thought they mirrored the same ferocity as a naked flame, dancing and weaving through the heat.

"What do you want from us?" Aaron managed to choke out as he watched the interaction between Raven and Ryder intently.

Without turning around, and instead keeping his eyes locked with Raven's, Ryder responded with his deep voice, "I simply need your expertise, Dr Summers. And yours, of course, Miss Reyes"

"You can shove your Miss Reyes up your..." Ryder's finger silenced Raven's outburst as she felt it gently brushing against her lips. He simply winked in reply before rising to his feet whilst straightening his suit out.

"Jennifer!" Ryder called out from the doorway of the white room. Not a second later, a young girl with long dark brown hair came flowing through the door, dressed in white scrubs. "I'd like you to release our guests and show them to their respective rooms. I'll be waiting in my office when they are done" Without looking back, Ryder left all three alone in the room.

Raven flinched slightly when the girl known as Jennifer, knelt down in front of her, lifting her hands up so she could undo Raven's chains. As soon as her hands were free, Raven lunged up, pushing Jennifer across the room and bursting through the open door, running down the corridor, completely ignoring the looks she was getting from the numerous white scrubbed people.

"Raven" The Latina came to a skidding halt as soon as Ryder's large figure blocked her path, his soft voice strangely calming her instantly. "I do not wish to hurt you"

"So why were we chained up in that room?!" Raven's steadily rising voice caused the remaining people in the hallway to scatter as Ryder gently placed his hand against her upper arm, guiding her down the corridor.

Raven didn't know why, but she was willingly following this unknown man as he led her through a few dimly lit corridors before stopping at a large wooden door, with light peeking through the gaps. He pushed the door open, sending light cascading over him and Raven. She instantly stepped out into the fresh morning sun, inhaling deeply as she felt Ryder's presence beside her. They were literally stood in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by the vegetation's rich colors of red, green, golden brown and orange. Raven quickly looked behind to find the door still in it's place, and a large dome like shape leering over it.

"Where are we?" Raven breathed out as she turned her attention on Ryder, who never once took his eyes off the younger girl. He coolly smiled down at her before responding.

"I like to call it the Fallout" Raven saw Ryder smile the tiniest of smiles as if remembering a happy memory before continuing, "I do apologize for the manner in which you were brought to us. My brother has always had the flare for dramatics"

"Your brother? You mean your brother is Sanders? The douche bag?" Ryder simply laughed in response before nodding his head.

"Well, shit. Wait! Can you tell me if my friend, Clarke, is still alive?"

"She is. That is one of the reasons why I intercepted my brothers convoy and brought you here" Ryder looked down at Raven who looked back up at him, confusement etched across her face.

"And my boyfriend, Finn?"

This seemed to be news for Ryder as a look of shock flashed across his face before it returned to it's stoic like manner. He tore his gaze away from Raven, jaw clenched as he spoke.

"I did not know about Finn. I will ask one of my teams to look into his whereabouts. He was not on the same convoy as yourself and Dr Summers" Raven offered a small smile in gratitude, but Ryder refused to meet her eye line, instead he turned to walk back through the door, stopping momentarily to usher Raven back inside.

"Come on, I will show you what it is we do here"


	14. Chapter 14

"Lexa!" The brunette snapped her head up from the table she sat at, finding Anya striding across her living room towards the archway leading into the kitchen. The Alpha took one look at Lexa and her eyes instantly softened. She followed Lexa's movements down to her badly bruised wrist, the bone protruding from the skin.

"That's gonna need re-setting, Lexa" The brunette simply nodded in agreement, not bothering to speak as Anya sat down beside her, gently taking Lexa's arm in her hands as she surveyed the damage. It was pretty gruesome, and that was coming from an Alpha who has seen a lot of injuries.

"OK, this might hurt a bit" Anya warned before snapping Lexa's wrist backwards, causing the brunette to cry out in pain, before pushing it back into it's normal position. The sound of her own bones crushing and snapping, sent Lexa dizzy. Eventually the pain began to subside into a dull ache as she ran her free hand through her hair, sighing in defeat.

"Want to talk about it?" Anya's soft voice brought Lexa back to reality. She turned her head to face her Alpha who looked back at her with nothing but sympathy evident in her eyes. The brunette didn't need to tell Anya what had happened, the Alpha already knew. It didn't mean it hurt any less. She felt a few tears escape her eyes before she could stop them, causing Anya to wrap Lexa up in her arms in a protective embrace.

"I need to go and look for her, Anya" Lexa announced after a few silent minutes of crying and soothing purrs from Anya.

"It's not a good idea, Lexa. Luke is out looking for her. You're in no fit state"

Lexa relented, knowing she wouldn't win this battle with her Alpha. Instead she nodded her head in agreement, before telling her she needed some fresh air and time alone. The brunette left Anya inside, but made sure to snatch her car keys on the way out. After a few minutes, Lexa hopped into Anya's car, revving the engine before taking off, leaving a trail of dirt and dust behind in her wake.

The room was cold and dark, a stark contrast to the summer sun. Clarke had to blink a few times in order to adjust to her new surroundings. Nothing in the room was recognizable. Not that there was a lot actually in the room, but from what she could tell, she had never been here before. A small window towards the top of the room shed the tiniest bit of light across the concrete walls and floor. The smell of must and bonfire filled her senses, quickly replacing the hint of chloroform.

Clarke rose from the wooden chair she was placed in, soon realizing she wasn't strapped in, and made her way across the room towards the concrete stairs. There was an old faded blue door at the top of the stairs. She bounded up them, taking two at a time but huffed in annoyance after discovering the door was locked. After a few more failed attempts at getting the door open, she gave up, making her way to the bottom whilst scanning the room to find another way to escape. Her eyes landed on another shed of light on the opposite side, a glimmer of hope beginning to blossom in the pit of her stomach after realizing it was a cellar door leading to the outside world.

There were a few empty boxes and crates blocking her path, which she heaved out of her way with little trouble. She pulled as hard as she could to try and free the dangling chain attached to the trap door, but began crying out in frustration when it wouldn't budge. She was so caught up in trying to escape, Clarke hadn't realised she was no longer alone in the basement.

"Clarke, please, stop" The blonde turned abruptly, her heart jumping into her throat when her eyes settled on the figure standing in front of her.

"Finn?!" Clarke internally cringed at her own hoarse voice. She watched as Finn stepped towards her, both of his hands filled with food and a bottle of water. His facial expression was a mixture of sadness and guilt.

"I'm sorry, Clarke. It had to be done" Her friends' words confused Clarke further.

"You kidnapped me?!"

"Yes, but it's for your own good. You're in danger, Clarke" Finn placed the collection of food on the floor in front of Clarke before taking a step away from her. She followed him, eyes pleading and anger bubbling at her friends vagueness.

"You could have just talked to me like a normal person, instead of drugging me!" She watched Finn's expression change from calm to something she couldn't quite put her finger on. Perhaps disgust? She took the time to study his appearance. Clearly, he hadn't slept for a while if the dark circles under his eyes were anything to go by and he certainly hadn't shaved for a while either.

Finn closed the gap between them, bringing both hands up and resting them on either side of Clarke making it so she couldn't move. He squeezed his hands tighter around her arms, "Don't you get it?! You shouldn't be anywhere near that girl and her pack of mutts!" Finn's booming voice sent shivers down Clarke's spine. His words searing through her chest, directly piercing her heart. He knew? How could he know?! She began shaking her head, trying her best to escape from his vice like grip. The blonde's efforts seemed to anger Finn further, causing him to grit his teeth whilst grabbing Clarke harshly by her arm and pulling her across the room back to the wooden chair. He forced her down, pulling both arms around her body where he began tying her to the chair.

"Finn!" Clarke cried out whilst she pushed her feet down onto the cemented floor, trying to push him back. To no avail, she stopped and focused on her breathing as she felt her hands being forcefully tied together with rope.

"Stop it, Clarke! Like I said, it's for your own good. As soon as those monsters are gone, you'll be free" Finn's words sent Clarke into a frenzy. He wanted to kill Lexa. Her Lexa. There was no way she was going to let that happen. She fought with all her might to break free from the rope bindings. Just as she felt one of her hands slipping free, the cellar's trap door practically blasted open, sending one crashing past Finn and barely missing Clarke, who scrunched her body into a ball shape in order to avoid being hit.

When Clarke raised her head from her knees, her breath got caught in her throat at the sight in front of her. Lexa was stood in all her glory, the sun illuminating her golden locks, whilst she held a panicked stricken Finn up in the air by his neck. She looked intent to kill, with her glimmering green eyes and fangs poking out between her gritted teeth.

"Lexa" Clarke breathed out as she watched Finn struggling to breathe. He brought his hands up, putting one on Lexa's arm and the other on her own neck, trying his best to fight the brunette off. Lexa simply growled in warning as she felt his nails digging into the flesh on her neck, sending little droplets of blood to dribble down, staining her white t-shirt.

Clarke finally felt her hand slip loose, and worked on her other hand that was still tied to the chair when the sound of a gun cocking halted her. She snapped her head up, finding Craig pointing his double barreled shot gun directly at Lexa, who looked monumentally pissed off. Clarke felt the panic rising as she pulled and pushed against the rope, letting out a sigh of relief when she felt her hand snapping the rope in two. She immediately shot out of the chair, and ran to stand in front of Lexa, effectively shielding her body from Craig and his gun.

The blonde held her hands out in front of her as she spoke, "Please, Craig. Don't do this"

Lexa's hold softened against the scraggly boys neck, causing him to inhale deeply, gaining as much oxygen as he could before he felt his feet touching the floor. Clarke heard Finn coughing and spluttering behind her, and decided to turn her head slowly after Craig lowered his gun ever so slightly. She found Lexa, still holding Finn at an arms length, but now staring at Craig with her bewildered eyes, daring him to make the shot. The brunette took one look at Clarke before she flung Finn across the room, sending his body crashing into a pile of boxes. Craig went chasing after his son, dropping the gun onto the floor to check Finn over.

Lexa didn't utter a single word as she latched onto Clarke's hand and pulled her towards the open cellar door. She gently pulled the blonde's body up with her as she jumped up into the courtyard of the Lumbar Works, Clarke having to shield her eyes from the dazzling sun light. They hastily made their way towards Anya's Honda Civic parked by the road, both not speaking until they were a few miles away from Craig and Finn.

Clarke, too shock ridden to speak, simply stared out of the window at the passing scenery. The trees from the aligning forest soon diminshed into small bushes and random branches until eventually the clear watered sea came into view, causing Clarke to gasp at the view. The white pebbled beach lined the ocean front, with the oceans soft waves splashing against it intermittently.

Lexa pulled the car to a stop by the side of the road, opposite the beach, looking at Clarke's gob smacked expression as she whispered, "Come on", before exiting the car. The blonde watched Lexa cross the desolate road before the brunette turned, waving her hand at Clarke, beckoning for her to follow. Which she did, of course.

Lexa felt her legs buckle below her as she lowered her body slowly to the ground, pulling her knees to her chest whilst looking out at the vast expanse of ocean. It was the most peaceful she'd felt in days, weeks even. The only sounds she could hear were the odd bird call and Clarke's feet against the pebbles, gradually getting closer. Her view of the ocean was soon blocked by that of blonde hair and blue eyes, that looked back at her full of adoration and guilt. Lexa opened her mouth to speak, but was silenced by Clarke's finger against her lips.

"I'm so sorry, Lexa. I'm sorry for how I reacted. I'm sorry for breaking your chair. I'm sorry for running away from you. And I'm so sorry for breaking your wrist" Clarke tentatively placed both hands on Lexa's wrist, pulling it up and placing a chaste kiss against the soft, warm skin. Lexa's heart swelled with warmth as she watched Clarke kissing her wrist over and over again, until finally she pulled back, tears in her eyes, as she looked into Lexa's deep green ones.

"I'm falling for you" Lexa blurted out without thinking, causing her to scrunch her eyes shut and shake her head at her own words. Clarke simply smiled in response, having wanted to say something along those lines herself. She placed her hands on either side of Lexa's face, coaxing her out of her stupor before leaning in to bring their lips together softly. Lexa responded immediately, wrapping both arms around Clarke's middle and pulling her onto her lap so the blonde was straddling Lexa. The kiss deepened, with Clarke's tongue poking out to stroke Lexa's bottom lip before she opened her mouth fully, granting the blonde access.

Clarke chased Lexa's lips for what felt like hours, tongues battling for dominance and hands roaming, caressing each other's skin. Lexa pulled back slightly, to place gentle kisses along Clarke's jaw line, leading down to her neck. The blonde raised her head back, giving Lexa more access to her neck as she felt Lexa's teeth nibble against the skin before soothing said skin with her tongue afterwards. The brunette inhaled Clarke's sweet scent, sending shivers down her spine as she continued to suck on every inch of the blonde's neck. She stopped just below her pulse point, nudging it with her nose as she felt Clarke's heart rate increase. Lexa knew this is where she wanted their mating bite to be, the final piece to the puzzle. She bit down a little harder than she had when she was simply nibbling, causing Clarke to moan in delight and drag her hands through the brunette's wavy locks, stopping at the base of her hairline so she could tug down, effectively bringing Lexa's face back into view.

Clarke's whole body felt as though it was on fire. Every touch of Lexa's hands sent goosebumps flying across her pale skin. She kissed Lexa with as much passion as she could muster, hoping the other girl understood how she felt. Lexa moaned into the kiss, feeling Clarke smiling against her lips before they broke apart, both panting heavily. Clarke's legs wrapped around Lexa's middle tighter, holding them both in place as they scanned each other's faces, taking in all the tiny details and quirks.

Clarke eventually unwound herself from Lexa's embrace and instead went to sit beside her as the brunette wrapped an arm around her shoulders, pulling her in to her body. The blonde felt her stomach and chest rumbling with a feeling she'd never felt before. And if she thought that was weird, then the noise that followed caused Clarke to sit up abruptly with one hand on her chest and the other clinging onto Lexa's forearm to keep her steady.

"It's ok. You're just content, that's all" Lexa spoke softly, with a small smile playing on her lips as she watched Clarke visibly relax and melt into her embrace again.

"This is a werewolf thing?" Clarke asked as she continued to involuntarily emit this strange purring sound.

"Mmhm. Your wolf's happy"

"When will I, ya know, change?" Clarke's voice was timid as it left her lips, causing Lexa to place a kiss atop the blonde's head in reassurance before she replied.

"I'm not sure. We haven't come across a human turned werewolf yet. But it's clear your body is changing" This seemed to gain Clarke's full attention as she stopped playing with Lexa's fingers and sat up straight to watch the brunette as she continued to speak. "All the anger you've been feeling, the conflicted feelings and headaches, they're the same things I went through when I hit puberty. It's overwhelming at first, but you'll start to get used to it. I'm sorry I did this to you, Clarke"

"Hey, don't apologize. If the rolls had been reversed, I would have done the same thing" Lexa snapped her eyes up to meet Clarke's, finding them full of conviction as she spoke, "This is all crazy and I have no idea what I'm going to do but I'm not scared, well not for me anyway. It's weird, but when I'm with you, I feel like I can do anything. Like I'm invincible. I know it sounds ridiculous, but that's the best way I can describe it"

"You're my mate" Lexa spoke in a whisper as her hand gently caressed Clarke's cheek.

"Well, yeah we're friends, of course, but I was kinda hoping for something more, Lexa" Clarke chuckled nervously as Lexa began furrowing her brows, confused at the other girls words before she started laughing and shaking her head.

"No, Clarke, you're my mate as in wolf mate. My true mate, should I say. That's why you feel that way. It's exactly the same for me" The blonde stared at Lexa, mouth agape in complete shock as she absorbed the information.

"Does that mean you're my mate?"

"I would like to think so, yes. But, we won't know for sure until you complete the transition. Right now, your body comprazies of both your own blood and the blood of your wolf and my venom. That's why you haven't transitioned into your wolf form yet" Clarke nodded in understanding, words failing her as she tried her best to comprehend what Lexa was telling her.

"I hope I am" Clarke managed to breath out as she felt Lexa tangling her hand with Clarke's own, squeezing slightly in reassurance. "Do you know where my mom is?"

"Lincoln and Bellamy are still out looking for her, Clarke. There was no sign of her when they checked the hospital. They were tracking her scent from there, and ended up travelling about ten miles east, but they lost her scent. They're still searching, Clarke, they'll find her" The blonde simply nodded her head in response as she rested her head on Lexa's shoulder, looking out at the ocean ahead. The sun shone down on them, warming their bodies as it casted it's rays against the glimmering waves of the blue water.

Clarke inhaled deeply, the salt in the air from the ocean filling her senses as she spoke, "Tell me about your pack"

"OK, well you've got Anya who is our Alpha and Luke is her mate. Then there's Bellamy and Octavia. They're blood relatives but we're probably the closest in the pack. Emma is Bellamy's mate and she's really great. Her and Anya were the ones who nursed you back to full health Lincoln is Octavia's mate, he's probably the most reliable besides Luke and Anya. Then you've got Zak and Jess, who you've already had the pleasure of meeting" Clarke felt Lexa tense up as she mentioned Jess. She waited patiently for Lexa to calm down before continuing, "Jess and I have never really seen eye to eye. So it didn't surprise me when she flipped after she found out about you. She comes from a long line of original werewolves, and she would have been next in line to take control of her own pack, but there was a massacre, killing her entire tribe. Anya chose me as her Beta, a position Jess thought she deserved more"

"What's a Beta?" Clarke asked, looking up at Lexa's mouth as she replied.

"It's like a second in charge. But it means that if anything were to happen to Anya, I would become the next Alpha" The blonde raised her brows in surprise at Lexa's answer. No wonder Jess was jealous.

"So, if she's so adamant on becoming an Alpha, why doesn't she leave and become one elsewhere?"

"It's not that simple, Clarke. Her loyalties now lie with Anya and her pack. She swore an oath when she joined, and if she were to break it, it would be seen as an act of betrayal" Lexa looked down at Clarke, intense green meeting curious blue, "The Alpha's word is law"

"And what about the Beta's word?" Clarke teased as she raised one brow, challenging Lexa.

The brunette began smirking as she spoke, "If the Beta gives an order" Lexa breathed out as she twisted her body, effectively pinning Clarke beneath her as she grabbed onto the blonde's wrists bringing them above her head, "they are to be followed, at all times"

Clarke visibly swallowed as she felt the electricity bouncing between their bodies, looking back and forth between Lexa's almost black eyes. She raised her head slightly, their lips barely a breath away before she wrapped her right leg around Lexa's waist, using all her strength to push the brunette off her. They ended up switching positions, with Clarke straddling Lexa's hips, keeping her in place as she linked their fingers together, bringing them to rest against Lexa's stomach.

"Well, good job I'm not part of the pack" Clarke quipped back as she looked down at Lexa, mirroring the smile she found on the brunette's face.

"Yet" Lexa clarified as she lifted her body up, placing a quick kiss on Clarke's lips before raising to her feet, pulling Clarke with her.


	15. Chapter 15

"Do you think she will agree to it?"

Lexa looked towards Clarke as she spoke, holding on tighter to her hand as they walked from Anya's car towards their impressively sized house. Clarke felt like pinching herself to remind her that she wasn't dreaming. Anya's house was nothing less than a mansion. It stood tall, with at least three separate floors, judging on the amount of windows lining the front of the house. The brick was a soft sandy color, contrasting brilliantly with the surrounding forestry. The blonde snapped out of her temporary state of shock as soon as she heard Lexa's soothing voice whispering above her ear.

"Anya will no doubt agree to the terms. But, the rest of the pack have to also agree with it, Clarke" The blonde snapped her head to the left, meeting Lexa's kind eyes staring back, as they continued to approach Anya's mansion. If only Raven were here to see this. She'd certainly have something to say about it. Clarke felt a pang of guiltiness was over her after thinking about her best friend. She would certainly have to go and see her once her and Lexa were finished here. The brunette, obviously picking up on Clarke's distress, squeezed her hand whilst placing a quick kiss against her temple before stopping in front of the grande double doors. Clarke nodded once after Lexa gave her a sympathetic look. She watched as Lexa raised one hand, pulling back on the huge, black door knocker, sending it flying back against the door.

Not a minute later, both doors swung open, revealing Bellamy standing on the opposite side sporting a large toothy grin as his head switched between Lexa and Clarke's bewildered face. Clarke subconsciously took one step closer to Lexa as her heart rate picked up. She'd never felt this nervous in her entire life.

"Don't worry, we don't bite" Bellamy's poor attempt at humor caused Lexa to send him daggers, whilst Clarke chuckled nervously under her breath, still standing as close to Lexa as humanly possible.

"Stop scaring the poor girl, Bell!" Emma chastised from behind the taller boy. Clarke watched as Emma appeared from behind Bellamy, her face slightly tanned and dirty blonde hair cascading in waves down her shoulders and arms. Clarke felt herself relaxing ever so slightly after seeing the genuine smile both Emma and Bellamy now wore as they addressed her, inviting her inside. But not before Lexa stopped her to double check she was ok. After a quick nod of her head and reassuring smile, Lexa led Clarke through the grande entrance of the house, past a winding stair case on the right side of the wall, and through to what looked like the main living room. There sat Octavia and Lincoln on the two seater sofa, whilst Luke rested against the window ledge beside the bow window.

Clarke felt Lexa's arm winding around her waist and pulling her closer, a soft growl emitting through her chest. The blonde didn't need to look far to find the reasoning behind it. Jess and Zak stood just beside Luke, Zak slightly in front of his mate. His long, blonde shaggy locks covering part of his face, but enough was showing for Clarke to see his icy blue eyes staring back. It was as if she were staring into a frozen lake, not knowing whether she should tread carefully to avoid being pulled in. Jess, on the other hand, was certainly easy to read. Her dark brown eyes were centered on Clarke and nothing else. Her teeth were bared back in disgust as she looked the blonde up and down, slowly.

"Jess, that's enough" Anya called out from behind Lexa. Clarke watched as the tall blonde strolled past them, practically floating across the room to take her place next to Luke, who stood to attention, with his muscular shoulders drawn back and jaw clenched. Now, his blue eyes weren't icy or glaring, but warm and inviting, much like a clear spring sky.

Jess deflated backwards against the window sill, folding her arms across her torso in frustration, causing Lexa to smirk whilst squeezing Clarke's hip bone playfully. The blonde felt Lexa's body relax slightly as Anya began her speech.

"So, you're all gathered here this afternoon because we have something highly important to discuss. As you are all now aware, Clarke, is going through the transition" The blonde shifted awkwardly on her feet as she felt all eyes in the room settle on her for a brief moment before Anya continued, "She is Lexa's mate. But as per the terms of our pack, we must each vote in order to determine whether we believe Clarke should be part of this pack. I for one, believe it be for the best, however I do not speak on behalf of all of you. That is why I wish for you to take the rest of the afternoon to mull it over. I want an answer by 6 pm this evening from each one of you" Anya's powerful voice resonated in each of them, but no one dared move first, especially Lexa and Clarke who stood glue to their spot. Lexa scanned each of her pack mates faces, trying her best to decipher them. Just as her eyes landed on Bellamy, he had stepped forward effectively standing in the middle of the room.

"I don't need that much time to think about it" Clarke watched as Bellamy turned to direct his attention on her, "I've seen how happy you make Lexa. In my eyes, you're already a part of this pack" Emma stepped up to join her mate, taking his hand in her own as her gentle voice filled the room.

"We wouldn't have it any other way" Emma looked up at Bellamy, who nodded his head in approval before Octavia and Lincoln stood from the sofa, confessing they would be happy to have her in their pack.

It was a clear win for Clarke, but Luke still chimed in to say he thought the world of Lexa and whoever Lexa chose for her mate had every right to be given a chance at becoming a part of their pack. Lexa picked up on him mumbling something along the lines of the more the merrier but she couldn't be quite sure. She couldn't help the smile pulling at her lips as she felt Clarke's breathing hitch at the realization that Lexa's pack, her family, had accepted her. It was a strange feeling. A week ago, if someone had told Clarke this would have been her biggest worry, she would have laughed in their face, thinking it was the most ridiculous thing she'd ever heard. But standing here, in this room, with nine werewolves staring at her, or should she say seven, in adoration back at her there's no where else she could imagine being. It felt like arriving home after a long vacation. Especially with Lexa by her side.

"Nothing to worry about" Lexa whispered against Clarke's ear, causing the blonde to blush in embarrassment as she saw Octavia and Lincoln snickering from across the room. They made the first move, bounding over towards Clarke, Lincoln's arms held out in front of him as he lightly shoved Lexa out of the way to embrace Clarke in a tight hug. She felt the wind being knocked out of her as soon as his muscular physique crashed into her tiny frame. Before she could complain, her body was being lifted off the ground and twirled around a few times before her feet hit solid ground again, sending her tumbling backwards in surprise. Luckily, Lexa was ready to catch her, immediately scolding Lincoln for being too rough.

"It's alright, as soon as I'm strong enough, I'll repay the favor" Clarke chimed in as Lexa continued to bicker with her pack mate causing Octavia to rear her head back, releasing a loud laugh before she too had embraced the blonde, practically squeezing her until she could barely breathe.

"I like her, Lex!" Bellamy announced as he joined in with his sister in congratulating Clarke, whilst Emma hugged Lexa on her way to the blonde.

Lexa noticed Jess approaching a stern looking Anya from the corner of her eye. The brunette snuck away from Clarke, slowly walking towards her Alpha, who seemed to be having a heated conversation with Jess using hushed, but harsh voices.

"I hope you're happy, Anya. That half-breed will be the end of us!" Lexa's wolf jolted awake at Jess' name for her mate, sending a wave of anger coursing through her nervous system. Her fists were clenched tightly against her sides as she felt her canines growing in size. Lexa willed her wolf to stay calm, she didn't want to destroy Anya's living room after all.

"You will do well to remember your place, Jessica" Anya sneered through gritted teeth, towering over the younger girl who forcefully bowed her head in submission to her Alpha. Jess smelled Lexa approaching, turning her head to find said brunette glaring at her with her glowing green eyes. She didn't feel like turning this into a brawling match again, so apologized in her sweetest voice she could muster before bidding her farewell, making sure to brush up against Lexa's un moving body on the way. Clarke watched the entire interaction, feeling heat creeping up her neck in anger as Jess winked at her on the way out of the room.

"They've been going at this for years" Octavia announced as she stood beside Clarke, following her line of sight to Lexa's heavily panting body. "Jess has never liked Lexa, always the jealous one" Clarke watched as Octavia shrugged her shoulders and smiled playfully back at the blonde who shook her head and mirrored the smile before leaving to join Lexa. The brunette visibly relaxed as soon as she felt Clarke's soft fingers entwine in her own.

"So, pack mate, what do you wanna do now?" Lexa asked, a devious smile playing on her lips.

Clarke brought her finger up to her lips, tapping a couple of times before raising her brows and snapping her fingers together. Lexa swallowed as she saw Clarke's face getting closer and closer to her own. She closed her eyes in anticipation of Clarke's lips, but soon opened them after she felt said lips brush against her ear. "I'm really hungry, Lexa"

The blonde pulled back, letting out a stifled laugh as she took in Lexa's bewildered expression. Clarke began laughing again when she saw Lexa shaking her head in disbelief before speaking, "Food it is then. Where would you like to go?"

"I actually need to see Raven, so perhaps the bar downtown? I don't think Finn will be there, and if he is, you can totally knock him out again" Clarke smirked as she pecked Lexa on the cheek. The brunette shook her head again, but humor visibly evident across her face as she grabbed Clarke's hand, ready to pull her out of the house. Anya's voice stopped them both in their tracks just before Lexa could open the front door.

"Lexa, Clarke" The duo turned around slowly, with somewhat guilty expressions on their faces, as if they were caught out by a teacher. "I would like to see you both again tomorrow, to go over what it is the pack expects from you, Clarke"

"Of course. And thank you, Anya" The blonde nodded her head in appreciation as she saw the tiniest flicker of emotion behind Anya's usual stoic facade. Lexa simply gave Anya a thumbs up before swinging the door open, and pulling Clarke behind her as she made her way back to the car.

"Is it usually this quiet, Clarke?" Lexa questioned her mate as they drove slowly down the main road, not yet seeing one person lining the streets of Downtown Bayfield.

"I've never seen it this quiet before" Clarke answered honestly as her eyes continued to scan the surrounding areas, looking for any sign of life. She continued to watch intently as Lexa pulled the car to a stop outside Raven's bar. The blonde swiftly exited the car, her palms sweaty in apprehension of what she would find. Raven would surely know what was happening. Lexa rounded the car, snapping Clarke out of her thoughts as she entwined their hands together before walking towards the front entrance of the bar.

Clarke felt Lexa pulling her back slightly, her face scrunched up as her nostrils began dancing as they flared. The brunette failed to meet Clarke's concerned eyes, and instead began looking all around them before taking a small step towards the bar, never letting Clarke's hand go.

"What is it?"

"I'm not sure" Lexa whispered back. Clarke turned her head away from Lexa, gasping in shock as she noticed the door to the bar hanging from it's hinges, the window pains completely shattered across the floor. Their footsteps began making crunching noises as they walked through the entrance over the glass from the door.

Clarke stood in complete shock as her eyes slowly scanned the trashed bar in front of them. It no longer looked like the brand new bar Raven had shown her just days before. It was more like an abandoned warehouse that had been inhabited by criminals. Her breath hitched as she saw the picture Raven had put up of her and her father, lying on the floor surrounding by shattered glass and broken alcohol bottles.

Lexa was no longer by her side, but moving around the bar, trying to find any clues of who may have done this. The scent she was picking up was nothing she had ever come across before. Maybe it was because of all the spilt alcohol lying around, which masked the persons scent. She looked over at Clarke as something seemed to snap in the blonde, sending her flying across the bar and through a door just next to the toilet's. She emerged not a minute later, a frantic look plastered across her face.

"She's not here, Lexa. Raven's not here! What the hell happened?!" Clarke fell against the nearest piece of furniture she could find. Luckily it was an intact chair. Lexa was by her side within seconds, emitting calming pheromones, trying to relax the blonde.

"I can feel that, Lexa"

"Feel what?" Clarke looked up into Lexa's kind eyes as she spoke.

"Whatever it is that you're doing. You're releasing pheromones, aren't you?"

Lexa raised her hand, placing it gently against Clarke's cheek and began stroking her cheek bone as a small smile tugged at her lips. "It was worth a try. We'll find her, Clarke"

Before Clarke had time to reply, a noise from across the street startled both girls, sending Lexa flying to fer feet. The brunette carefully made her way to the nearest window, making sure to avoid any glass to keep the noise levels to a minimum. She peaked her head out of the window, finding two men in dressed in khaki tactical gear, armed to the teeth pointing their rifles down at the man who lay with both of his hands raised in the air. She focused her senses, pricking her ears up to listen to their conversation.

"Where is she? We know you saw her!" Khaki man one shouted.

"Please, I didn't see anything! I'm begging you, I have a wife and a daughter! Please!" The man began crying out as he saw the khaki men share a look before khaki man one pulled his trigger, sending a bullet flying through his skull, effectively lacing the pavement below a deep red color. Lexa's eyes widened, she immediately turned to find Clarke standing silently, her eyes wide in horror too. The blonde didn't need to have witnessed what Lexa had seen, she could tell by the look on the brunette's face.

Lexa's ears pricked up again as she heard the soldiers snickering, "Hey, wait a minute! John, I don't remember that car being there before, do you? Come on, lets check it out!"

The brunette shot over to Clarke, lifting her body from the ground before carefully treading towards the back of the bar.

"Ooo, I think you need to start warning me before you do that"

Lexa simply ignored Clarke's remark, entirely focused on getting them out of there. She gently pushed down on the door knob, successfully opening the back door just as she smelt the two soldiers entering the bar. After placing Clarke down, Lexa turned to close the door silently behind her.

"We need to get out of here. The cars not an option anymore" Lexa removed her jacket first, handing it to Clarke before lifting her t-shirt up over her head, leaving her in a sports bra and jeans.

"Erm, as much as I'd like to do that, I don't think now is the time nor the place, Lexa" Clarke's eyes widened as she realized Lexa wasn't stopping there. It didn't seem to be enough for Lexa to just reveal her perfectly chiseled abs. No, she had to reveal her perfectly defined, tanned legs too. The blonde simply stood gawking at Lexa's goddess like body as the brunette continued to pile her clothes on top of the other in, Clarke's arms.

Clarke was about to protest again when she thought Lexa was about to remove her sports bra, but to the blonde's surprise, Lexa snapped her head up, gazing at Clarke with her glowing green eyes for the briefest of moments before she transitioned into her black wolf form. Clarke was seriously never going to get over seeing that. She smiled at Lexa as she saw the wolf take a step closer to her, nudging her with her snout and then pointing to her own back.

"Are you serious right now? You want me to ride you?" Lexa made a noise similar to a snort before nodding her large head in reply. "And I thought this couldn't get crazier" Clarke whispered to herself as she walked across the courtyard, watching as Lexa lowered her fur covered body so her stomach shadowed the floor. Clarke hugged Lexa's clothing close to her chest as she lifted her right leg over the wolf, effectively straddling her back. Without warning, Lexa's wolf lifted from the floor, leaving Clarke's legs dangling by her side.

"Holy shit" Clarke instantly leant forward, holding onto Lexa's colossal neck to keep her in place.

"Hold on tight" Lexa's voice sounded out through Clarke's head, her blue eyes widening in surprise.

"What the fu..." Clarke didn't have chance to finish before Lexa launched them into the air, her feet hitting the floor below and setting off in a fast sprint towards the tree line of the forest. Clarke could feel Lexa's muscles working over time below her, every movement sending shivers across the blonde's increasingly hot skin.

It was possibly the closest thing Clarke had come to feeling like she was flying. The speed, the adrenaline, the strength. Just everything, was sending Clarke spiraling. Her thoughts became clearer the faster they traveled. Eventually, to Clarke's disappointment, Lexa began slowing down into a steady trot before stopping completely, lowering her body to the floor to let Clarke off gently. The blonde felt her legs wobbling as soon as her feet hit the ground, sending her falling back into Lexa's steady frame. The wolf used her snout to push Clarke back onto her feet, who crouched down using one hand to hold her steady against Lexa's wolf.

"Holy fucking shit! That was..." Clarke looked up to find Lexa staring down at her, a clear smug look plastered across her wolf like features. "OK, so we can talk using our minds? As in telepathic powers?!"

"Indeed, Clarke. I didn't know if you'd have them yet, but I thought it was worth a try anyway. Luckily you do" Lexa's wolf lowered herself against the floor again, but this time she twisted her body around effectively shielding Clarke's own. The blonde leant back, pushing all of her body weight against Lexa's as her hands stroked the large head now resting on her lap. She closed her eyes, loving the feeling of Lexa's soft fur below her finger tips, as she inhaled the earthy scent of her wolf.

Lexa, however, heard footsteps approaching from ahead. She carefully lifted her head, so to miss knocking Clarke out, and nudged the other girl softly against her cheek, effectively coaxing her out of her dream like state. As soon as blue met brilliant green, Clarke could instantly see the storm brewing behind Lexa's eyes, swirling with hints of gold and red. The blonde seemed to understand what Lexa wanted, standing up and moving behind the now alert wolf. Her ears were pinned back, and jowls pulled back slightly, showing off her deadly canines. Lexa waited patiently, listening intently to the footsteps drawing closer, ready to pounce at a moments notice. She could just about make out the outline of the person walking towards them. Their petite frame along with the long hair and familiar scent confirmed Lexa's suspicions.

"Mom?" Clarke breathed out in utter shock as she saw her mother appear from behind a large tree trunk, looking like she's been dragged through hell and back.

"Clarke?" Abby whispered in realization as she saw her daughter staring back. Just as Clarke stepped forwards to help her mom, Lexa pushed her body harshly to the floor, towering over her in a protective stance as an arrow flew through the air at lightning speed before lodging itself into Abby's chest.

The blonde let out a strangled sob as she saw her mom's lifeless body fall to the floor like a sack of potato's, her eyes completely void of life as they stared back at Clarke.


	16. Chapter 16

Lexa's head instantly snapped to the right after hearing the faintest of rustling between the leaves. Her eyes never left the huge tree swaying in the soft summer breeze. A few minutes passed by without further sound or movement, causing Lexa to focus her attention back to Clarke as the blonde held her mother's lifeless body against her own. The wolf took a step closer to Clarke, but instantly stopped once she heard the familiar rustling again.

The growl that escaped her was completely involuntary as the wind brushed against her fur, bringing with it an unfamiliar scent. A scent that was laced with blood and sweat, but also sweet and alluring.

Lexa's continuous growl rumbled through her chest, resonating down her legs, and across the blood stained ground where Clarke rested, causing the blonde to lift her head slowly in the direction of Lexa's alert wolf. Her ears were pinned back and snout lifted in the air as her nostrils flared dramatically. The blonde kept a firm hold of her mother's body as she followed Lexa's eye line up into one of the taller tree's of the forest, masked by the dense greenery.

Within the blink of an eye, a figure dropped from said tree, landing around ten feet away from where Lexa now stood closer to the ground, ready to pounce if needed. The figure crouched down, one hand firmly pressed against the ground in front of her, whilst her other held a long blade protectively by her side.

"What did you do?!" Lexa growled again when she heard Clarke's anger laced voice project from behind her.

The unknown girl didn't show any signs of recognition or remorse as she continued to stare at Lexa's un moving wolf. Clarke once again repeated her question, but with more conviction this time as she stepped forward, now standing just in front of Lexa, her hands fisted into tight balls beside her body. The blonde snarled as she watched the girl look just behind Lexa at her mothers dead body.

"Don't you fucking dare!" Clarke breathed out as she stepped to the side, now blocking Lexa's view of the figure. The wolf didn't move, but instead began excreting a few calming pheromones in hope of settling Clarke, before she did something she would later regret. Who knew when her wolf would be making an appearance. And this situation certainly wasn't helping.

The girl must have stood at least six foot, with jet black hair flowing down her back and shoulders, and perfect porcelain skin practically shimmering against the moon light. A glimmer of something caught Clarke's attention, sending her eyes scanning down the girls body before landing on the thick blade being twirled between her long, slender fingers.

Before she had time to react, Clarke felt her body being shoved to the ground, the thick mud coating her blood stained hands. She quickly twisted her body into a seated position as her eyes scanned the surrounding area before letting out a barely audible whimper. The brooding girl flew through the air, blade held above her head and teeth bared as she plunged it down into Lexa's spine before rolling off the black wolf's body.

Lexa let out a pained howl as the knife rendered her all but useless. It was lodged fairly deep into her back, causing her to fall against the cool ground below. The pain was almost the worst she had ever felt, sending waves of blistering heat up and down her body, from the tips of her claws up to the tips of her ears. She watched, completely helpless, as the unknown girl looked down at her and then towards Clarke who sat directly opposite, her eyes beginning to water as she stared back at Lexa's whimpering wolf.

The blonde saw Lexa trying to stand before falling back against the ground in defeat. The black haired girl began walking across the forest, but not before she ripped the knife from Lexa's back, causing the wolf to emit a deafening howl, sending daggers directly to Clarke's heart. The blonde felt the heat rising from deep down, the rumbling in her chest causing her body to visibly shake. The growling must have been audible because it seemed to stop the unknown girl in her tracks. She tilted her head to one side, an unfamiliar look adorning her face before she took a tentative step backwards.

Clarke, however, rose to her feet after feeling something shift deep within. She chanced a glance over at Lexa, finding her writhing in pain and blood matting the fur along her entire back. She let out a pained scream as she felt the blazing heat tearing it's way through her body. Through every nerve ending. Through every bone. Through every hair follicle.

Her body felt like it was snapping itself in two as her legs gave out and her body fell to the floor. She held both hands out in front of her to catch her before another pained scream escaped her mouth and echoed through the forest. Clarke heard her bones breaking before she felt them snapping like twig's below a heavy boot. She watched in awe as her own hands moulded into that of a wolf's, the claws longer than two of her pinkie fingers put together.

Lexa lay on her side, breathing ragged, as she watched Clarke transform not five feet away. The pained screams of her mate caused her to shrivel against the ground, but she refused to let unconsciousness sweep her away. Not now. Not when Clarke needed her. She tried with all her might to stand again, only to feel her legs fail her as she flopped back down. Lexa saw Clarke on all fours, her body breaking and moulding itself into her new wolf form. She could just make out the beginnings of the same white fur from her dream breaking away from Clarke's human skin.

In the space of a few minutes, Clarke had painfully transitioned from her human form and now stood on all four's in her brilliant white wolf form. Her chest heaved dramatically with every breath she inhaled. Her nostrils flared with every new smell she was experiencing. Her ears moved back and forth as she listened to each new sound.

The white wolf turned her head, locking her beautiful violet eyes with bright green before rearing her head back and letting out a wonderfully surreal howl. It was at this point, Clarke remembered why Lexa was injured on the floor. Why her mother lay dead in her own pool of blood. She snapped her head to the left, releasing a deep growl when she found the tall girl staring back at her, a look of bewilderment etched across her face. The grip seemed to tighten around the knife in her skeletal hand as she watched Clarke stalking her. Each step Clarke took with her large paws, the girl mirrored, causing them to walk slowly in a circle until the wolf stopped in front of Lexa's body. She crouched down in a protective stance, feeling the power behind her muscles as her jowls pulled back, revealing her sharp canines.

Clarke was ready for this. She had never felt more alive. The innate need to protect Lexa over powered anything else going through her mind. Everything else was just back ground noise when she thought of the brunette. Clarke momentarily wondered if this is what it's been like for Lexa. It wasn't until she saw the conviction behind her mother's attackers black eyes that she escaped her own thoughts, readying herself for the impending attack.

Before she had a chance to avenge her mother though, Luke's wolf flew out from the tree's, his fangs on full display and claws held out in front of him as his huge wolf ploughed into the girls body. They both toppled across the muddy floor, with Bellamy and Lincoln right behind them, before all four of them disappeared into the darkness of the forest.

Clarke snapped her attention away from the echoing snarls and snapping of teeth, before laying down next to Lexa's almost un moving wolf form. She quickly scanned the deep wound, still finding blood pooling out of it, before nuzzling her snout softly against Lexa's.

"You're going to be ok, Lexa" Clarke mentally cooed as she heard Lexa purring in response.

Octavia and Emma appeared in human form, momentarily taking in the sight of Clarke in her wolf form, before kneeling down behind Lexa. Emma gently surveyed the wound, causing Lexa to whimper and in turn Clarke to growl protectively.

"Clarke, it's ok. We're trying to help her" Octavia reassured Clarke, who tried her best to focus on Lexa instead of her raging emotions. Overwhelming wasn't a strong enough word to describe Clarke's cocktail of emotions.

"We must go" Anya's powerful voice resonated through the grassy plain, causing Clarke to slowly stand and face her Alpha. Octavia and Emma took the opportunity to lift Lexa's injured body, carrying her away from the scene and back through the forest. Clarke felt Lexa's presence diminish, causing her to involuntarily let out a pained whine as she snapped her head from left to right trying to locate the black wolf.

"She will be fine, Clarke" The white wolf nodded her head in reply, before turning to find her mother's bloodied body still lying where she left her. She had thought the whine that she emitted was quiet enough for just her to hear, but clearly not when she felt Anya's warm hand atop her fur ridden back.

"I will carry her back. She will be given a proper burial, Clarke" Anya announced as she awaited Clarke's permission, which was given in the version of one head nod. The wolf watched as her Alpha lifted her mother's body from the ground, her head lolling back and pale arm falling down by her side.

Clarke followed Anya closely through the almost black forest. She relied mainly on her senses to guide her, focusing on the earthly scent of Lexa as she manoeuvred through the tree's. The feeling of the mossy vegetation beneath her paw's was so alien to Clarke, but at the same time so familiar. It was a strange feeling. Like being one with the earth. From the smells, to the sounds, to the feeling of the evening breeze flowing through her white fur.

Without even realising, they had made it back to Lexa's cabin, with Octavia standing at the bottom of the steps, her arms folded and head bowed. Clarke immediately thought the worst, sprinting across the grass until Octavia finally snapped her head up, a look of fear plastered across her face. She held her hands out in front of her whilst taking a step back, causing Clarke to skid to a stop in front of the other girl.

"She thinks you're going to attack her" Anya announced as she appeared at the side of Clarke, looking at Octavia with a bemused expression on her face. "Those clothes are for you" Clarke followed Anya's eye line to find a bag resting beside Octavia's feet, full to the brim with all kinds of clothing. Presumably Lexa's.

"I erm, didn't really know what you'd like, so I kinda just shoved different options in there" Octavia stated as she warily looked over at Clarke's wolf. To say the white wolf was intimidating was an understatement. She was almost as tall as Lexa, if not taller.

Anya disappeared into the cabin, leaving a confused looking Clarke staring down at the bag. Octavia picked up on the wolf's demeanour, causing her to kneel down and pull the bag closer to them before explaining herself. "When you transform back, you'll be totally naked" Clarke snapped her head up to look at Octavia with a pleading look as she waited for the other girl to continue, "Trust me, it's a bitch. But you get used to it. Just let yourself go. Think about transforming back into your human form and you will" And with that, Octavia had vanished, leaving Clarke alone as she continued to stare at the bag of clothes.

After a few minutes of pacing, Clarke let out an aggravated huff before she felt her body relaxing and finally morphing into her usual human form. Her weightless body flopped down against the soggy grass as she felt her muscles instantly aching. Eventually, the blonde pulled herself up and crossed the grass to grab some clothes. She ended up going for some dark grey jogging bottoms and a black hoodie. Clarke smiled to herself as she smelt Lexa's scent embedded in the hoodie, before opening the door to the cabin. The sight of the broken chair splintered across the living room caused Clarke to internally cringe before her eyes landed on the wooden carving of the elephant on the far side of the room. She carefully picked it up, finding one of the ears had been taken off and part of it's trunk was missing.

"Hey you" Emma's soft voice made Clarke jump on the spot, almost dropping the elephant again. She turned to find the dirty blonde smiling warmly at her from the bottom of the stairs, "Lexa's asking for you"

Clarke smiled in reply before whizzing past Emma and practically sprinting up the wooden stair case towards the bedroom at the end of the hallway. The door was half closed as she heard hushed voices from inside the room. The blonde tentatively placed her hand against the door, pushing it slightly but not realising her new found strength as the door flew open at the touch, causing a resounding crash to echo through Lexa's bedroom.

"Holy shit!" Octavia shrieked as she jumped from the bed across the room in a protective stance.

"Calm down, O. You remember what it's like at first" Anya stated as she laughed at her pack mate. Octavia rolled her eyes in reply, but remained leaning against the window sill as she watched Clarke approaching the bed.

Lexa lay unconscious underneath the duvet with a cloth to her clearly sweating forehead as Anya kept dipping it into a bowl of cold water, before placing back onto her head. Clarke made her way around the bed to other side, before sitting tentatively next to Lexa. The brunette shifted slightly in Clarke's direction after feeling her presence in the room. She tried to open her eyes, but felt too weak.

"What's wrong with her? I thought werewolves had super human healing abilities?" Clarke asked without taking her eyes away from Lexa.

Emma was the one to answer the blonde's question, stood leaning against the door frame as she too looked down at Lexa's un moving body. "We think the blade may have been made from a special kind of silver. That's why Lexa isn't healing as fast as she should be"

"Wait, so the silver myth is true?" Clarke's head snapped up to look at Anya for answers.

"Not in the way you may think. There are certainly only a handful of ways to kill a werewolf, this" Anya made a point of motioning at Lexa's body to emphasise her point, "is one of those ways. Its not just any kind of silver. It's silver that's smelted in a modified liquid known as Deathlinor"

Clarke slowly nodded her head, trying her best to absorb the information as she watched Lexa's body twitching and a painful expression develop across her features. She absentmindedly latched onto Lexa's hand, pulling it closer to her as she used her free hand to stroke the brunette's cheek.

"Come on, let's give them some privacy" Anya announced quietly as she watched Clarke stroking Lexa's sweat ridden face. The three bid their farewell, shutting the door quietly behind them as Clarke positioned herself closer to the now mumbling brunette.

"Who's mumbling coherently now, huh?" Clarke tried joking to calm her nerves, but it didn't help as she felt a tear sliding down her cheek whilst looking down at Lexa. The thought of losing her was unbearable.

"Shut up you" Lexa choked out as she slowly opened her eyes, finding mesmerising blue staring back down at her. Clarke felt a smile tugging at her lips as she saw Lexa's mouth pulling into a gigantic toothy grin. Lexa brought her free hand up to stroke the falling tears away as Clarke melted against her gentle touch.

Clarke shuffled down the bed, closer to Lexa so the brunette could rest her head against Clarke's chest. The blonde wrapped her arms around Lexa, holding her as close as she could whilst she listened to her steady heart beat. Clarke gently placed a kiss atop of Lexa's head, inhaling the same earthy smell from earlier.

"I love you" Lexa whispered into the crook of Clarke's neck after placing a kiss against her pulse point.

Clarke wasn't sure if she'd heard correctly at first, but then she felt Lexa's body stiffen as if she herself hadn't meant to say it. The blonde simply smiled to herself as she shifted lower so that her head rested on the same pillow as Lexa's. She brought her right hand up to Lexa's face, brushing the stray hairs away as she looked deeply into her dark green eyes.

"I love you, too" Clarke's voice came out in a tiny whisper as her lips ghosted across Lexa's, before she felt a hand on the back of her neck, pulling them together in a fiery kiss.

* * *

Luke ploughed on, his paws and legs moving as fast as he could muster them to. He was faintly aware of Lincoln and Bellamy following behind, but everything blurred into the background as he focused solely on the fading black blur in front of him. He let out an aggravated growl as he felt the surrounding branches and twigs lacing his fur with cuts whilst the girl was slowly getting further and further away from him.

Lincoln pushed through, flying over a few fallen branches before over taking Luke's heavier wolf. His own wolf was slender in build, meaning he was more agile on the run. The scent of Lexa's attacker was heavy in the thick hot air, causing Lincoln to release an almighty growl before he pushed off the ground, sending his wolf flying through the air. Bellamy followed suit, not jumping as high as Lincoln though. His dark grey wolf landed just in front of Luke, who watched intently as Lincoln jumped that bit further, missing the girl by just an inch.

The girl smirked as she heard Lincoln grunting in annoyance before she hopped up one of the tree's, just out of the wolf's reach. He continuously jumped as high as he could, but eventually gave up as he saw the girl smiling down at him, the bloodied knife being passed from one slender hand to the next.

Luke's burly wolf slammed his entire body weight against the tree trunk she rested against causing a tremor to resonate across the forest floor. Bellamy caught on to Luke's plan, following right behind him and forcing his own body weight against the tree trunk. Lincoln watched as the girl's panicked stricken face snapped her head all around her, hoping to find some sort of escape route. He took the opportunity to push off from his hind legs, sending his wolf up into the air and teeth bared as he felt his claw's scraping against the thick tree trunk. The girl visibly jumped, not expecting the wolf to almost reach her so high up and ended up dropping the blood soaked knife just next to Bellamy.

The sound of a piercing scream howling through the air had all three wolves stop to look at one another before each looking up to find the mysterious girl gone. The only trace of her was the silver blade and a few claw marks embedded against the tree trunk. Even the unnatural scent of her had vanished. Bellamy visibly flinched when the piercing howl cut through the dense forest air again, sounding much closer this time.

Bellamy and Luke shared a knowing look before the larger wolf ordered Lincoln to take the knife back to Lexa's cabin. Lincoln didn't move at first, not wanting to leave them to what unknown was coming, but one stern look from Luke had Lincoln acting fast. His dark brown wolf was gone within the blink of an eye, leaving his pack mates behind in their fighting stances, ready for whatever was coming.

And it came fast. Bellamy watched as the monster that had previously attacked his sister and Clarke came charging through the tree's sending one crashing to the ground. Luke pulled his snout back, snarling as his canines doubled in size before pushing back and flying at the monster, claws held out in front of him.

The monster simply held it's own claw out, easily pushing Luke's body to the side as it's dark red eyes remained focused on Bellamy. Luke shook his fur as he watched Bellamy doing practically the same as he did, but the monster didn't shove him away, instead he used both claw's to trap his pack mate in a vice like grip. Bellamy's wolf howled out in pain as he heard a few of his ribs snapping inside him.

Luke acted fast, using his entire bodily strength to push the huge creature onto it's side, before sinking his teeth into the same arm wrapped around Bellamy's torso. Luke and the monster continued to wrestle atop the muddy ground, both being coated in a mixture of blood and dirt. Bellamy found it difficult to breathe, but eventually shook away the pain before launching himself at the monster just as it was about to latch onto Luke's neck.

They both continued to fight a losing battle against this impossible creature. It's brute strength and lack of humanity had Bellamy and Luke heaving for breath, with blood coating their matted fur. They watched in astonishment as the red eyed monster, with death like claws, heaved itself off the ground standing on two legs as it readied itself for a further attack.

Luke's ear's began twitching as he heard footsteps echoing through the forest. They weren't just coming from one direction, but from all around them. He shared a panicked stricken look with Bellamy before lowering his body defensively towards the ground, ready to defend himself when needed. His claws dug deep into the mud below when his eyes landed on the same girl they were previously chasing. He watched her quickly survey the area in search of what he could presume was Lincoln, before she pounced onto the unsuspecting creature. She was followed by two other's who each held a different body party down against the ground as the black haired girl wrapped her legs tightly around the monsters neck.

"Are you gonna stand there all day? Or are you gonna help us?!" She shouted without looking up from the monster. Luke snarled once before launching himself through the air, ploughing his body harshly into the struggling monster's. Bellamy followed closely behind, joining in until the creature's head lay separated from it's body. It's red eyes blinking a couple of times before finally the colour faded leaving them completely black and void of life.

Bellamy took a few steps away as he watched the monster's lifeless body crash against the ground, staining it a deep red. The mysterious girl along with her two accomplices elegantly floated down, landing with a soft thud just next to where the monster now lay.

"So, where's wolfie number 3?" The girl asked with a cocky grin attached to her face. Bellamy lunged forward, a growl emitting from his chest before Luke let out a warning snarl, effectively stopping the dark grey wolf not three feet away from the snickering girl.

"Don't, Bellamy. This kill isn't ours" Luke's unsettled voice sounded through Bellamy's head, causing him to retreat, with his teeth bared at the still smirking girl.

"Annabelle!"

All five of them turned their heads towards the gruff British voice coming from the opposite direction of the forest. Luke watched intently as a well dressed man appeared through the clearing, his face void of emotion as he stared at the black haired girl, also known as Annabelle.

Bellamy watched as the unknown man's golden eyes darted from Annabelle to both of her accomplices and then over to himself and Luke. His eyes fixated a bit longer on Luke, before he placed both hands behind his back and lifted his head higher whilst taking a few slow steps towards the wolves.

"I hope you will forgive me for the unseen circumstances of our meeting. I did not realise today would have played out in this manner" Luke watched as the British man quickly looked back at Annabelle before returning his gaze back on the them, "My name is Ryder. I wish to meet with you and your pack, so we can have a more amicable meeting. And please do pass my apologies on to Clarke. If she wishes to speak with me, this is where you can find me" Without saying another word, Ryder placed a GPS tracker down just in front of Luke before flicking his wrist in the direction of Annabelle. Within seconds, they were gone. Vanished, as if they were never there.

"Let's go home" Luke mentally announced as he took the GPS tracker in his mouth and turned without looking back.


	17. Chapter 17

"You love me" Clarke stated matter of factly as she pulled her head away slightly, just enough so she could get lost in Lexa's eyes.

The brunette simply rolled her eyes in response but couldn't hide the smile pulling at her lips as she felt Clarke's cheeky eyes boring into her own. She watched as a single tear fell down Clarke's cheek bone, landing between them on the pillow. Lexa entwined their hands together before bringing the blonde's up to her mouth so she could place a tender kiss against her soft skin. No words were exchanged. There were none necessary as they continued to communicate using only their eyes.

Lexa could feel an endless amount of emotions running through Clarke as they ended up resting their foreheads together. The heart ache from losing her mother. The anger of letting the girl who killed her mother get away. The worry over whether Lexa would live or not. The guilt from not knowing where Raven is. The frustration over why Finn kidnapped her. Everything boiling together to generate a volcano of emotions, preparing to erupt.

"You're my mate, Lexa. I can feel it" Clarke whispered as she nestled her head further into the crook of the brunette's neck.

"Well, that's a relief" Lexa breathed out over Clarke's hair, chuckling when she felt the blonde nibbling the skin on her neck. The nibbling soon turned into sucking, and the occasional bite causing Lexa to close her eyes as she savoured the feeling. Clarke's hands began roaming down Lexa's side, softly caressing her naked skin, as the brunette shiftly uncomfortably by her side.

Clarke immediately stopped, pulling her head away from Lexa's neck, taking her head in her hands and looking at the brunette with concern filled eyes. "What is it?"

"It's not you, Clarke. It's the wound on my back" Lexa looked away sheepishly, as if she were ashamed. The blonde forced Lexa to look back into her eyes, making sure she knew she had absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.

"I'm sorry, Lexa. It's ok to hurt, even if you are used to healing super fast. It's completely normal" Clarke smiled slightly in reassurance as she saw Lexa nodding her head slowly in agreement.

"I just hate being an invalid. Especially when something's out there trying to kill us. I can't protect you like this"

"I think you're forgetting that I'm a werewolf now too. I still can't believe it myself, but I actually transformed before!" Clarke breathed out as if her own words were the most ridiculous thing she had ever heard.

"Your wolf is beautiful" Lexa stated with nothing but conviction evident in her voice.

Clarke began shaking her head, and opened her mouth to protest, however the feel of Lexa's hand against her own stopped her. "Close your eyes" Lexa whispered against Clarke's lips.

The sharp intake of breath didn't go unnoticed by Lexa who smiled in response as she continued to feed her memories of Clarke through to the blonde. From the day she first met her, to the night they shared their first kiss. To the night Lexa found a drunken Clarke and cared for her. To the day Luke brought her back to the cabin, bloodied and bruised. To the moment Lexa decided to save Clarke with her werewolf venom. To the moment when Clarke awoke, her bright blue eyes staring back at Lexa. To the moment when Clarke transitioned into her white wolf, looking back at Lexa with her mesmerising violet eyes. Right up until this very moment, with Clarke lying next to Lexa, her glossy eyes shining against the backdrop of her soft, blonde locks.

"Every time I see you, you simply take my breath away" Lexa gently announced as she watched Clarke opening her eyes slowly before she felt her lips pressing against her own. The kiss was short but bittersweet, filled with every emotion they could muster but not voice. Clarke felt the explosion of butterflies floating around her stomach as she pulled away and looked into Lexa's eyes, full of love and adoration.

"Your mother seemed like a wonderful woman, from what I've heard" Clarke swallowed as she registered Lexa's words, sending a pang of sadness through the both of them. The blonde simply nodded her head in agreement, not trusting her voice to assemble a coherent sentence in answer. Lexa didn't push further though, instead she wrapped her arms around Clarke, holding her close to her chest.

"Thank-you"

Lexa shuffled slightly before responding, "For what?"

"For just being you. For being here. It's so crazy considering we literally met like a week ago, but I can't imagine my life without you in it. And everything has changed so much. I guess I'm just scared about what's next" Clarke's voice trailed off as her breath ghosted against Lexa's bare collar bone.

"We will face it together. I'll always be with you, until you don't want me by your side anymore"

Clarke frowned as she opened her mouth to reply, "Never. I'll always want you"

The pair lay wrapped up in each other's arms as sleep eventually overwhelmed them, sweeping them into unconsciousness and dreams filled with the colours of vivid green and cerulean blue.


	18. Chapter 18

Octavia stood in the hallway, head poking through the barely open door, watching as Lexa curled up in Clarke's protective embrace. There was no way she was waking them up yet. She shook her head, a small smile lingering on her face as she closed the door quietly behind her. The hushed, but angry voices of her pack mates had her dashing down the stairs, finding Lincoln standing by a disgruntled Jess and Zak.

"We need to go!" Jess' rising voice had Emma putting her hands out in an attempt to calm the obviously angry wolf. The ever quiet Zak simply stood next to his mate, a look of disdain across his somewhat tanned face.

"Jess, seriously?" Octavia's sarcastic remark had the room silenced, with Lincoln making his way to his mate standing on the lower steps.

She saw Jess rolling her eyes and turning away before responding, "I'm not surprised you're on her side, O. You've always been a human lover"

"Stop being such a bitch, Jess, and suck it up! You're not going to be Beta or Alpha anytime soon"

Emma and Anya gave up, both flopping down on Lexa's sofa to watch the two girls bickering, which was bound to go on for hours. Lincoln stood looking over Octavia's shoulder, his chest puffed out whilst Zak did the same.

Emma nudged Anya in her side, leaning her head over to whisper into the Alpha's ear, "So, how long do you think it'll be before Lexa comes down guns blazing?"

Anya chuckled softly before replying, "Any minute now, I'm sure"

* * *

Clarke awoke to Lexa's deep groans and an arm to the face, sending the blonde almost flying from the bed. She caught herself just in time, raising her head in surprise at Lexa who instantly sat up looking around with her eyes wide. The brunette's green eyes were glazed over and squinty, clearly not awake yet.

"Well, I'll be more prepared next time" Clarke joked as she crawled closer to the obviously bewildered brunette, wiping the stray hairs away from her face. Lexa finally came around, giggling when she felt Clarke's hands ghosting her sides before gently nudging her to twist her body. She felt said hands running down her back, stopping briefly when they reached Lexa's bandaged wound.

"I'm just gonna check this, ok?" Lexa nodded in reply, closing her eyes as she savoured the feel of Clarke's warm hands gliding across her tanned skin.

Clarke unwrapped the bandage slowly, revealing a deep gash surrounded by dark spotted bruises. "How long does this usually take to heal?"

"Usually within a day or so" Lexa whispered as she turned her head slowly in the direction of the other girl. Clarke, however, never took her eyes away from the wound. The blood had clearly clotted which was good, but it was no where near to being completely healed. And from the looks of it, they were asleep for a good while meaning it should have healed by now.

"Ok, well it's not really healing fast, so I might have to stitch it"

Lexa twirled around a bit too fast, causing her to grimace in pain before looking at Clarke with a quizzical expression.

"What?"

"I've never had to have stitches before"

Clarke swallowed as she finally registered Lexa was completely bare chested in front of her, "Well, there's a first time for everything" the blonde quickly replied as she turned away, holding out the bandage for Lexa to take before trying to rise from the bed. The brunette's hand on her wrist stopped her, gently bringing her back down to face her. She lifted her hands, placing them on Clarke's reddened cheek's, forcing her to look up.

"Clarke, will you bandage me up?" Lexa's fluttering eyes had Clarke laughing as she took the cloth in her hands, bringing it around Lexa's chest. She never tore her gaze away from forest green as she continued to slowly wind the bandage around the brunette's back and chest. Their faces getting steadily closer the more Clarke wound the cloth around, stopping only when the tips of their noses ghosted over one another's.

"There, all done" Clarke's hot breath had Lexa leaning further in, placing a quick kiss against her lips before flopping back against the bed as she released an aggravated groan. Lexa had Clarke laughing again when the brunette began groaning and mumbling something that didn't make any sense whatsoever.

"What was that?" Clarke asked with a look of humour on her face, leaning closer to Lexa's face.

"Can you hear them?"

"Hear who?"

"My idiot pack mates. Or should I say, _our_ idiot pack mates" Lexa announced, lifting her head from underneath her arms. She mirrored Clarke's smile, watching intently as the blonde closed her eyes in concentration. Immediately blue eyes were back on her, eyebrows raised.

Jess' echoing voice sounded through both their heads, "Lexa clearly hasn't got her head screwed on. Not only has she fallen for a blonde bimbo but she's got us being hunted by god knows what. Clarke's mothers dead because of her and she's too love sick to even see it!"

Lexa saw the storm brewing behind Clarke's cerulean eyes, swimming with a mixture of grey's and deep green. She raised her hand going to stroke the blonde's cheek, but she was off the bed and striding to the door without Lexa even realising. Clarke barely heard Lexa's pleads before she rounded the corridor, flying down the stairs and standing directly between a jeering Jess and Octavia.

"What is your problem?" Clarke gritted her teeth as the words flew past them, sending Jess back a few steps with Zak holding his hands against her hips to keep her steady.

Jess jutted her chin up as soon as Lexa came into her peripheral vision, "You're my problem. Everything was fine until you came along. You and you're ridiculous human antics"

Lexa felt Clarke's anger bubbling beneath the surface making her step forward, placing her hand firmly on the blonde's forearm. Clarke kept her eyes on Jess as she turned her head, growling at Lexa to step back.

"I guess we know who wears the pants in the relationship" Octavia whispered to a smirking Lincoln, casually draping his arm around her waist and pulling her closer to watch the show.

"Clarke, she's not worth it" Lexa cooed, pouring her calming pheromones through the air between them. She watched as Clarke's shoulders relaxed after letting out a shaky breath. The atmosphere was palpable, filled with a few growls and commanding pheromones. Mostly coming from a peeved Jess.

"Jessica, I will not tolerate you starting fights left, right and centre. It is not what we do. You will need to learn how to live with Clarke being in our pack" Anya rose from the sofa as she spoke, adorning an impassive expression.

"Like hell I do" Jess mumbled, taking one last look at Clarke before storming from the cabin, beckoning for Zak to follow.

Lexa visibly relaxed as soon as they'd left, placing both hands on Clarke's hips before pulling her back against her chest. She rested her chin against Clarke's shoulder, breathing in her calming scent. Both of their hearts were racing, gradually slowing down whilst they focused on each other's deep breathing.

"Well, I don't know about you guys but I'm starving!" Octavia announced as she hopped off the stairs, striding across the living room towards the kitchen, with Lincoln in tow.

"Where's Luke and Bellamy?"

Anya looked back at Clarke as she answered the blonde's question, "They should be back any time soon" Emma felt Anya's hand on her arm in reassurance before following Octavia into the kitchen.

Lexa could feel Clarke's anger still present, not like before, but still there. She used her thumb to stroke the blonde's hip bone underneath the jumper she wore. Gradually she felt her body slouching back further, almost resting her entire body weight against the brunette.

"You hungry?" Lexa's soft voice ghosted just above Clarke's ear, sending goose bumps swimming across her skin. She simply nodded her head in reply, inhaling sharply when she felt Lexa's hand move from her hip, gliding across her flat stomach until it stopped just above the lining of her joggers.

Lexa used her free hand to slowly lift Clarke's remaining hair from her neck, giving her full access to the skin. She nudged her nose up against it, moving up to just below her ear where she placed a gentle kiss. Clarke closed her eyes, lifting her head up to give Lexa more room to manoeuvre. She felt Lexa's teeth grazing across her skin, stopping to nibble every so often.

"I read something"

Lexa lifted her head momentarily, humming a response of, "Oh yeah" before continuing her path southwards down Clarke's neck.

"Yeah. It was about werewolves and their mates" the blonde's voice caught in her throat as she felt Lexa's teeth go just that bit further into her skin, before easing up again. "It mentioned something about a mating bite, which connects two souls forever"

"Did it now?"

"You know about it?" Clarke grabbed a hold of Lexa's hand currently resting on her stomach, turning around so they were face to face. The blonde caught one look at Lexa's black eyes, her pupils blown, and mouth agape, before closing the distance completely. Their lips met in the middle, a tingling feeling developing from the pit of Clarke's stomach, moving it's way up, spreading warmth across her chest. Her wolf seemed to come alive as she felt Lexa's tongue poking out, dragging across Clarke's lower lip. The blonde felt a growl rumbling through her chest as she grabbed Lexa's hips, hoisting her up against the dressing table behind them.

Green eyes opened in surprise as Lexa smiled against Clarke's lips whilst her arms came up instinctively wrapping around the blonde's neck, effectively holding her in place.

"Oi, you two!" Clarke stopped moving whilst Lexa raised her head, looking over blonde hair to find Octavia standing on the opposite side of the room, hand on her hip and a chopping knife in the other. "Stop making out, and come help us!"

Lexa smirked before saluting in agreement. She looked down to find Clarke staring at her, her cheeks burning a deep red. The brunette leant forward, placing a small kiss on the tip of Clarke's nose before pushing her back so she could jump down from the dressing table.

By the time they made it to the kitchen, Clarke stopped in her track's, her jaw dropping as she took in the amount of food placed in the middle of the table. There were three large bowls filled to the brim with chopped up bread, alongside all kinds of meats and vegetables. And then on the other side lay an assortment of deserts, ranging from chocolate cake to pancakes.

"You made all of this when?" Clarke asked, still in shock. Lexa laughed as she dragged Clarke across the kitchen, urging her to take a seat.

Emma looked at her sheepishly from in front of the sink, "I cook when I'm nervous" she simply shrugged her shoulders before taking a seat opposite Clarke, watching whilst Lexa sat next to the blonde.

Octavia and Lincoln sat on the other side of Emma, whilst Anya rested on the chair next to Lexa. Clarke felt Lexa's hand squeezing her thigh before she tucked in, piling generous amounts of food on both her and Clarke's plate. The blonde simply watched Lexa, her eyebrows raised as she continued to watch the other girl. Lexa finally caught Clare staring, slowly putting the spoon down and turning to face the blonde with one brow raised.

"Got enough there, fatty?"

"Hey, us werewolves have to keep our bodies running" Lincoln joked, with a mouth full of what Clarke thought was maybe pancakes, but god knows what it actually was. He smiled, his teeth shimmering against his darker skin before shoving a further forkful into his mouth.

The blonde looked down at her plate, stomach grumbling as she slowly lifted her knife and fork. She couldn't actually remember the last time she ate a proper meal. The steak placed on her plate was cooked to perfection, just that little bit juicy but tender as well. Emma looked on with a proud smile as she watched Clarke's eyes closing at the first taste of the meat, a moan resonating from her closed mouth.

The group around the table settled in a comfortable rhythm, handing different plates and bowls to each other as they talked leisurely. She understood now what Lexa meant about the pack feeling like family. Sure, she remembered her own family meals, with her mother and father, but it never felt like this. Maybe it was because it was always just the three of them. Maybe it was because it was such a long time ago that it was actually just the three of them. Lexa must have picked up on Clarke's struggle, instantly placing her hand against the blonde's knee, squeezing it reassuringly as she tried to bring her out of her stupor.

Finally, Lexa saw Clarke floating back to reality, her eyes landing on the brunette's with tears filling her own. Before she could speak though, the back door burst open with a frantic Luke carrying an unconscious Bellamy. Emma was up out of her seat in lightning speed, holding her hands out to cradle Bellamy's lolling head.

"What happened?!" Lexa watched as Emma began firing question after question in her shaky voice. Luke, however, simply strode past her, giving Anya a stern look before rushing into the living room. He placed Bellamy down against the ground, the sofa being too short for his largely built body.

Clarke snapped into doctor mode, instantly running towards Luke. She knelt down, placing her hands on Bellamy's chest to assess his injuries. There was something protruding from the inside of his chest, pushing against the skin at an abnormal angle. Broken ribs. She continued checking him over, luckily only finding a few cuts and bruises, which would hopefully be healing soon anyway.

The blonde looked up, finding the majority of the pack staring down at her. She searched for Emma, instantly finding her worried grey eyes looking at her pleadingly from the other side of Bellamy.

"I'm going to need to re-set this, Emma. He has a few broken ribs, but they won't heal properly unless they're back in their normal position. He's probably going to wake from the pain" Emma nodded her head in understanding as she watched Clarke shift her body before bringing her hands up. She pressed down on the bones, feeling them shift under his hot skin. Immediately, Bellamy's eyes shot open, searching the room until he found Emma's. His breathing was shallow, his pained groans filling the room.

Clarke rocked back on her heels once she'd finished setting his bones, feeling Lexa's hand resting on her shoulder. She placed her own hand atop of it and pushed her cheek down against them.

"Thank you, Clarke" Emma whispered as she cradled Bellamy's head in her lap. Octavia took Clarke's place as the blonde moved back, following Lexa, Anya and Luke outside.

There was a heavy fog resting atop the lake, with a fine drizzle flying through the humid atmosphere. Clarke raised her head, inhaling the fresh air before looking back to see Anya stealing a quick kiss from Luke.

"What happened, Luke?"

The older wolf looked at Lexa as she spoke, inhaling deeply before replying, "We chased the girl" he glanced apologetically towards Clarke, "a few miles west. She was so fast and agile, it was almost impossible" Luke went on to reveal what happened once Lincoln left, leaving no little detail out. Clarke frowned in confusion as she listened to his words, having been completely thrown by the announcement of Ryder. Lexa seemed just as confused as her mate, looking between Anya and Luke as he revealed the GPS tracker from his back pocket. He held it out in the palm of his hand in front of Clarke.

"He wanted me to give you this. He said this is how you would be able to find him if you wanted to contact him" Clarke tentatively lifted her hand, taking the GPS from Luke whilst looking down at it intently.

Lexa watched as Clarke stared down at the GPS before snapping her head up to look at a tired Luke. "How did he know Clarke?"

"I don't know, Lexa. Everything happened so fast. And they were gone just as quickly as they arrived" Luke's head began shaking the more he thought about it.

Anya interjected before Lexa could fire any more questions at her mate, "We'll leave you to it" Lexa closed her mouth, nodding once at Anya before they turned to leave the brunette alone with Clarke.

A few minutes of silence passed before either of them spoke. Clarke continued to stare down at the device in her hands whilst Lexa never took her wary eyes away from the blonde. Lexa made the first move, stepping closer to the other girl as she put both hands under Clarke's.

"What do you want to do?"

Clarke shook her head as she replied, "I don't know, Lexa. This man knows where she is"

Lexa didn't bother asking who, she already knew who Clarke meant.

"I need to know why she killed my mother. If he leads me to her, then I want to go" Her dark blue eyes darted up to lock with Lexa's, a look of determination behind them.

"Ok, we'll go first thing in the morning" Clarke was half expecting Lexa to disagree with her. To tell her it was too dangerous to go. Lexa simply smiled back, obviously having sensed her surprise. "I'm in no position to tell you what to do, Clarke. I can try and persuade you away from certain things, but I would never order you to do anything"

Clarke's heart beat quickened as Lexa spoke, her words clearly settling a worry she never knew existed. She pocketed the device, taking Lexa's hands in her own.

"Come on, I can feel how hungry you are" Clarke rolled her eyes as she felt Lexa dragging her back towards the cabin.

* * *

"Any sign of Jess or Zak?" Anya lifted her head from the table. The map in front of her having been thoroughly studied all night and early morning. She looked across the room to find Lexa awaiting an answer, her hair pulled back in a pony tail whilst she donned camouflage attire.

"You're not joining the military are you?" Octavia's joke went ignored as Lexa continued to stare at Anya.

"None yet, Lexa. They seem to have shut me out"

"Are you going to let them get away with that? I mean, what if it was an emergency?" Octavia rounded the table to stand opposite Anya, a serious look now adorning her features.

"Calm down, Octavia. It won't come to that" Anya's cool voice had Lexa wavering. The Alpha shot her a disapproving look before turning her attention back to the map in front of her. Luke was by her side within minutes, leaning over her and pointing out places of interest. Lexa tried her best to listen to them, but was way too distracted by her mate descending the stairs. It was at this point that she knew Clarke would look like a goddess in whatever she decided to wear. Today's outfit was no different. A pair of denim shorts with one of Lexa's band t-shirts. Her hair was pinned back at the top whilst the rest fell down just below her shoulders in natural waves.

The brunette made her way to the bottom step, holding her hand out for Clarke to take. The blonde simply nodded and smiled in appreciation as she held onto Lexa's hand, eventually linking their fingers together. No words were needed when their eyes said everything.

Lexa squeezed Clarke's hand as soon as she felt her apprehension, "It'll be fine" the brunette whispered before kissing the top of Clarke's head.

"Ok guys, we'll be in this clearing here" Anya pointed down at the map before continuing, "No doubt Ryder will have scouts, so be wary. Try not to let your emotions get the better of you, Clarke. You're practically a pup so it may be hard, but just try. And just know that we'll be there if you need us" Lexa took Anya's forearm in her own bringing them together in a silent embrace.

They each said their goodbye's before Lexa and Clarke exited the cabin hand in hand. Luckily the weather had cleared up slightly, but the sun was yet to make it's appearance, leaving a murky fog in its place. The air was thick and humid, making it difficult to pick up any scents.

Clarke was under the impression they were walking through the forest to get to their destination, however Lexa was leading her away from the forest towards the main road. "Where are we going, Lexa?"

"We won't be able to get there without a car and Anya's Honda definitely won't get us there" The smirk on the brunette's face had an uneasy feeling settle in the pit of Clarke's stomach. "Don't worry, it's nothing too exciting"

Just behind a few tree's lay a hidden garage, completely camouflaged by the thick foliage. Lexa smiled her signature toothy grin as she pulled Clarke behind her to the front entrance. She pulled the large sliding door to the left, leaving it to crash against the far wall, echoing through the empty forest.

There stood a brand new 3 door Jeep Wrangler, kitted up to the nines with off road tyres and over head roof spot lights. It's matte black finished paint made it look like the menacing bat mobile.

"Where do you get all this stuff from?!" Lexa chuckled at Clarke's exaggerated reaction whilst pushing her towards the jeep.

"We inherited money from our elders. Besides, we've been working for quite some time too"

Clarke hopped up into the truck, watching as Lexa rounded the jeep and did the same. She hit a few buttons before firing the car to life.

"What do you mean 'for quite some time'?"

"Did that book you were reading mention anything about the life span of a werewolf?" Lexa asked, genuine intrigue evident in her voice.

"No, I didn't get that far to be honest. The whole mating thing kinda had me distracted" Clarke made a point of not looking at Lexa's clearly smirking face. She could already feel the heat creeping up her neck and lining her cheeks, so she settled for looking out the window at the passing forestry.

"Well, once we hit a certain point in our cycle, we kind of stop aging" This announcement had Clarke snapping her head back to look at Lexa, her face scanning the brunette's for any hint that she was lying. "Actually, we don't stop aging completely. I mean we still age, but at a very slow rate compared to humans"

"So I won't age anymore?"

"You might age a few more years, depending on how fast you reach your first heat. Which from the looks of it, won't be that long"

"My heat?" Lexa didn't respond right away, instead focusing on getting on the highway safely.

"Yes. I suppose you could call it a werewolf period of sorts. It can be quite intense, especially your first one. But the good thing is that the longer you're a werewolf, the less heat's you'll experience. Especially if you're mated"

Clarke continued to stare at Lexa's profile, in complete shock, as the brunette focused on the road ahead. Heats, near immortality. It was all just a bit too much for Clarke, considering where they were about to go as well.

"I think you're dealing with all of this exceptionally well, Clarke" Lexa turned her head for a split second, smiling in reassurance before turning her attention back to the road. She made sure to leave her hand resting on the blonde's thigh though.

"Depends what you consider 'exceptionally well'" The words hadn't meant to leave Clarke's mouth sounding so sarcastic, causing Lexa to take Clarke's hand in her own, again taking the blonde by surprise. Clarke would have expected Lexa to remove her hand altogether, not try and offer her further support.

Clarke brought Lexa's hand up to kiss the back of it quickly, causing the brunette to chance a glance at her mate, her blue eyes shining back apologetically at her. Just as Lexa opened her mouth to speak, the sound of skidding tyres and blaring horns had her snapping her head towards the front of the jeep. She immediately slammed her foot down on the brakes and twisted the steering wheel aggressively to the right. Clarke held her hand against the dashboard to steady her as she felt the jeep veering off the road and hitting a ditch next to the tree line.

"You ok?" Lexa's panicked voice echoed in Clarke's ears as she felt two warm hands gripping each side of her face. Green eyes scanned her entire face before she saw Lexa's chest deflating, obviously relieved.

"What was it?"

Lexa looked behind them, knowing exactly who it was. Her wolf growled, sending Clarke's spiralling into it's own frenzy. "Finn" The brunette's snarling voice had Clarke's hairs standing on her forearms. She watched as Lexa swiftly exited the jeep, putting up her hand for Clarke to stay put. Not that she really thought the blonde would listen to her, but it was worth a shot.

Finn came charging across the now desolate road, save for a few strangers who were staggering out of their cars. Each so focused on checking the damage of their now wrecked cars, they hadn't even noticed Finn standing on the side of the road.

"Are you stupid? You could have killed those people, not to mention Clarke!" Finn simply ignored Lexa's remark, barging past her towards the passenger side of the jeep. Lexa was too quick though, using her superhuman strength to yank Finn back by his arm, sending him crashing to the ground behind them.

"You don't know what you're dealing with!" His anger riddled voice had Lexa growling again. Not a warning growl this time though, more like a threatening growl. Finn's sullen expression would have had Lexa laughing if under different circumstances. Why Clarke was friends with this boy was a wonder unknown to her. Usually, she wouldn't be so quick to judge, but seeing as though he had kidnapped Clarke not a few days prior, she felt she had a good enough reason to judge.

"Finn, what the hell are you playing at?" Clarke's clearly impatient voice had them both turning to look at her.

"Clarke, please just come back home with me, and I'll explain everything" His pleading eyes had little to no effect on Clarke. She stood firm, brows furrowed together. If she was being honest with herself, a tiny part of her wanted to go with him, purely to find out his motivations. But one look at Lexa had her taking that back immediately. She knew where she needed to be.

"Tell me right here, right now, Finn. Or so help me god" Finn's jaw slackened as he watched Clarke slowly descending on him, a look that would scream 'killer' on her face.

"Me and my dad, we're hunters, Clarke. We hunt them" He lifted his hand and pointed his finger at Lexa with a look of disgust on his face. The brunette huffed in response, amused that this person considered himself a 'hunter'.

"You're no hunter. We've been here for over a week now" Clarke looked back at Lexa as she spoke, admiring the way the brunette held herself. Hands folded in front of her, with her chin lifted high and chest puffed out. This clearly wasn't her first confrontation. "If you truly were a hunter, you would have either killed us or at least driven us out by now"

"You're right, we would. It was because of Clarke that we didn't"

"We?" Clarke looked down at Finn, watching him intently as his brown eyes focused back on her.

"Me and my father. In fact, your father before me" He rose from the floor, stepping closer to Clarke before continuing, "I didn't want to tell you this now, but you need to know, Clarke. Your father was killed by one of them. A wolf. An abomination!" Lexa took a discrete step closer to Clarke, ready to defend her if needed. The blonde stood, transfixed as she searched Finn's eyes. Hoping to see any sort of sign that he was lying. That he was making all of this up in order to get her to leave with him. The look in his eye wasn't any of this though. She's known him long enough to know when he was lying. And this wasn't one of those times.

"You can't trust them, Clarke. They're monsters"

"If you're saying that Lexa is a monster, then you may as well call me one too, Finn" The confusement on the boy's face would have been comical if under different circumstances. He tilted his head to one side, brows raised as he tried to decipher Clarke's words.

"What do you mean?" Then it dawned on him. A light bulb clearly switching on. "Wait, she didn't..."

Clarke snapped into action as soon as she saw Finn revealing a cross bow from his back pack. She side stepped to shield Lexa, but the brunette was quicker than her, having already guessed he would do this. She pushed Clarke out of the way, just in time for the blonde to miss the arrow that landed in Lexa's upper thigh just after she got a hand on the cross bow.

"Finn!" He ignored Clarke's cries, going to load another arrow before it was torn from his hands. He looked up to find Clarke towering over him, her now violet coloured eyes practically ripping his soul apart. She revealed her perfectly white teeth, along with deadly sharp canines pointing through.

Finn fell backwards when he heard the menacing snarl rippling through Clarke's heaving chest, scrambling away from the blonde who he once considered his closest friend. Now though, she was one of them. A monster. They'd done this to her. _She'd_ done this to her. He looked past Clarke to find Lexa pulling the arrow out of her leg and surveying it in her hands before snapping her head up, revealing two luminous green eyes.

"Clarke" The blonde recognised that voice instantly. Craig. The man who she had looked up to ever since her father died. The man who cared for her as if she were his own. The man who now looked at her as if she was the worst thing in the world. "Finn, get up" The boy staggered to his feet, running behind his father as Clarke watched his every move, not missing the shot gun Craig was holding in both hands.

Lexa carefully approached Clarke from behind, holding a hand out to place on her hip. The blonde barely registered Lexa's attempts at calming her, her newfound rage clearly getting the better of her. How dare Finn shoot Lexa. How dare he attack her mate.

"He attacked you" She managed to choke out, with Lexa closer now. Close enough to feel her body heat mixing with her own. The calming pheromones were helping, but not when she could feel Craig eyeing them both, his gun now raised in defence. The blonde hadn't even realised but she was visibly shaking with anger, her chest producing the deepest growl she was yet to hear.

"He did yes, but I'm ok. You're ok, too. We're both ok"

After a few more minutes, Clarke began to relax slightly. Her shaking had almost diminished and the growling had evened out to a soft purr as she felt Lexa's strong hands stroking her hips. "I need to go"

That was all Lexa needed to hear as she carefully pulled Clarke behind her, effectively shielding her body from Craig and his shotgun. "We wish you no harm. And trust me, that shot gun will do nothing, so I suggest you leave now, while you still can"

Craig seemed to ponder on Lexa's words for a few awkwardly silent minutes before turning to his now protesting son, informing him they would leave to fight another day.

Lexa waited until they were both gone, until she could no longer smell their scents before turning around to face Clarke. Her eyes had returned to their normal brilliant blue, but her canines were yet to retreat. The restraint she showed was astounding to Lexa.

"You ready?"

Clarke nodded in reply, words failing her as she let Lexa take her hand and lead her back to the jeep. She silently climbed in, closing her eyes as she felt the engine rumbling beneath her. As soon as Lexa turned the jeep back on the road, her heart rate increased and palms became sweaty.

"I don't know if I can do this, Lexa" Before the brunette could question Clarke, she went on to explain herself, "I mean, I was so angry just then. Every fibre in me was screaming for me to rip Finn's head from his body. And that was before he shot you!" Her face was now covered with both hands as she leant forward, curling her body so her knee's were up against her chest.

"Listen to me, the restraint you showed just now, it was amazing, Clarke. And I'm not just saying that, I truly mean it. I've seen mature werewolves who haven't had the ability to show as much restraint as you did"

Clarke raised her head, looking around to see they were no longer on the road but driving down a dirt path, with two large cornfields on either side.

"We don't have to do this. Not today anyway"

Clarke tore her gaze away from the outside world, turning her head to find Lexa staring back at her. "No, I need to know"

"Ok, well we're almost there. According to the GPS tracker anyway. We should be coming up to the location at the end of this path" Lexa gestured her head in front of them to the clearing not too far away. The cornfields blocked their view of what was coming. The only thing Clarke could make out was a vague blob, if that's what you could call it. Maybe a dome.

The jeep slowed, practically rolling across the dirt path as they came to the end of the cornfields.

"What in the world?" Lexa's barely audible response was exactly what Clarke was thinking herself. The view was nothing like either of them had seen before. Out of this world, would probably be the best way to describe it.

In front of them lay an immense light blue dome, standing tall against the array of tree's within the vicinity. The frown on Clarke's face was mirrored on Lexa's as they both shared one look before exiting the jeep. The air seemed crisper here, lighter if you may. And the scent was nothing Lexa had experienced. It was somewhat sweet but at the same time sour, as if luring you in at first, only to find the evil lurking beneath once inside. She instinctively took Clarke's hand in her own, slowly guiding her towards what she presumed was the entrance of the dome.

Before she could even bring her hand up to knock, the camouflaged door swung open, revealing a beaming Raven. Clarke's dramatic inhale of breath could quite possible be heard for miles. The Latina shot out from the doorway, barrelling into an unsuspecting Clarke who instantly wrapped her arms around the petite girl. Lexa simply stood dumbfounded as she awaited an answer.

"Raven, what the hell are you doing here?!" Clarke couldn't help the tear that involuntarily fell down her cheek, quickly swiping it away as she waited for Raven's response. Which, surprisingly never came. The other girl simply took Clarke's hand before leading her through the door way. She beckoned Lexa to follow them as she passed, making sure to shut the door behind them.

"Raven, what are you.." Clarke didn't have chance to finish before she saw him. Her heart stopped. Like it literally felt like it stopped beating. She knew she'd stopped breathing too. Her innate ability to breath was taken away from her as she watched him take his first step. Then his second. And third, before he stopped at an arms length from the blonde, his electric blue eyes shining down on her. He looked like he hadn't aged a day. She silently brought her hand up, tentatively placing it against his cheek, just to make sure he was real. As soon as she felt his warm skin beneath her finger tips, a choked sob escaped her throat, causing him to finally move closer. His strong arms engulfed her, pulling her as close as humanely possible.

Lexa now stood next to Raven, a look of bewilderment across her face as she watched Clarke hugging this random man. The sobs that escaped her mate caused her to internally cringe. She knew the blonde wasn't in danger, but it still didn't stop the uneasy feeling cascading over her.

Eventually, Clarke took a step back, looking up into the mans eyes before he gave her a gentle smile and nod of the head. The blonde turned to face Lexa, a few stray tears falling from her eyes. She smiled as she addressed the brunette, "Lexa, this is my father, Jake. Dad, this is Lexa"


	19. Chapter 19

Two years later:

Clarke awoke with a splitting head ache and a deep grown as her eyes began to adjust to the illuminous sun shining down on her. The gentle breeze causing her nostrils to twitch, bringing with it a tiny hint of Autumn. She slowly lifted her heavy body from the ground, bringing her hand up to rest against her warm forehead, whilst her eyes began scanning the surrounding area, finding the desolate road lined with a few burnt out trucks and cars. The last thing she could remember was her father enclosing her in his arms, as Lexa looked on with a bemused expression. Where were they? Or the better question would be where was she? It didn't look like she was too far from the highway. The tree's surrounding her barely moved and it was eerily quiet. Not even the faintest bird call could be heard.

Clarke rose to her feet, haphazardly dusting off the mud from her bare legs. It wasn't until then that she realized she no longer wore Lexa's old band shirt, but instead a pair of white shorts and a simple white t-shirt. She began walking towards the nearest car, ignoring the uneasy feeling beginning to settle in the pit of her stomach.

"Hello?" Her quivering voice seemed to echo as she stilled momentarily, hoping for someone to reply. Anyone. When she didn't receive one, Clarke continued walking, bypassing two burnt out empty cars before stopping a few feet short of the last truck. It looked vaguely familiar, with it's brutish features and blacked out rims. She slowly approached the truck, holding both hands out to the side and eyes wide. Her breath all but stopped as she crept up to the drivers side window, finding it opened half way. The smell hit her first before her eyes landed on the burnt out remains of a person.

"Oh my god" Her breath ghosted across her lips as she stared at what she presumed was a man. Half of his face was missing and the rest was practically barbequed. Her hand instinctively flew across her mouth as she felt the bile rising up her throat from. She bent over, resting both hands against her knee's as her stomach lurched and a clear liquid shot from her open mouth.

After a few minutes, Clarke composed herself once again, wiping away the bile from her mouth as she took one last look towards the truck. The uneasy feeling returned as she walked away from the cars towards the highway, with the sun beating down heavily against her back. It luckily wasn't too hot, begging the question as to how long it had been. The last she remembered, it was the middle of summer and now it was autumn? She shook her head at her own thoughts. It couldn't be. She must have been wrong.

Clarke's thoughts then took a different direction as she thought of Lexa. The girl who had turned her life upside down. She continued to walk whilst she closed her eyes, trying her best to feel the other girl within her as she could before. But before what? The blonde's cerulean eyes shot open when she discovered she couldn't feel Lexa anymore. In fact she couldn't feel any of her pack mates. Her heart rate increased as the panic took over, causing her feet to pick up the pace. The adrenaline running through her sent her flying down the road.

As soon as she reached the turning onto the highway, her heart practically stopped whilst her chest continued to heave up and down. Clarke raised her hands, placing them behind her head as she tried to inhale as much oxygen as she could. The highway was lined with thousands of burnt out cars, housing hundreds of burnt corpses, ranging from adults to children. The cry that escaped her lips was completely involuntary.

Her legs buckled beneath her, sending Clarke crashing against the tarmac below with her eyes still glued to the dozens of cars in front of her. This must be a dream. That's the only way Clarke could explain this. It couldn't be real. Could it?

It wasn't until she heard the faint calling of her name that Clarke snapped out of her stupor, twisting her body around to face the opposite direction. There must have been at least ten soldiers, dressed in white bio hazardous suits carrying assault rifles. Her heart rate increased once more before her feet awoke and she jumped up sending her body running towards the cars.

One of the soldiers must have caught sight of her, as Clarke heard a few echoing shouts from behind, only adding fuel to the fire within her. A few shots were fired, sending bullets spraying all around Clarke's body and into the surrounding cars. She deftly dodged a few of them, hearing them landing in the car next to her, successfully shattering the glass. Clarke knelt down, resting one hand against the cool metal of the car next to her as the bullets continued to rain down on her.

It seemed as though the soldiers stopped firing momentarily before they started again, but Clarke no longer felt the bullets flying around her. She slowly raised her head, peering through the back window of the empty car to find the soldiers firing in the opposite direction to her at another unknown target. She took this as her opportunity to escape, lifting her body from her kneeling position before she felt two calloused hands wrap around her middle, successfully halting her movements.

"Clarke, don't panic" The hands around her middle softened, allowing Clarke to turn around to face her assailant. The blonde let out an exaggerated sigh of relief after seeing Bellamy looking down on her with kind brown eyes. His hair was shorted than she remembered, and a deep scar sat embedded through his eyebrow, ending just above his left eye.

"Bellamy?" Clarke's quiet plea had the other boy nodding his head in confirmation before she felt his hands pushing her back down in a crouching position. She watched, her eyebrows drawn together, as he peered over the back end of the car with a gun of his own resting in his right hand. He turned back to Clarke, a look of determination etched across his face before signalling for her to set off.

Clarke heard Bellamy's aggravated grunts and a few shots being fired from his gun behind her as she continued to dodge and weave between the cars blocking the road in front of them. The hope blossoming within Clarke urged her to carry on. The hope that she would soon see Lexa again and quite possibly her father.

Eventually the gun fire became nothing but a distant memory as both Clarke and Bellamy slowed their pace to a gentle jog and then a steady walk as they both kept checking their surroundings. They were no longer in the midst of the wrecked cars but instead walking along the tree line by the side of the road. The gentle breeze brought with it a smell that had Clarke coming to a halt with her head raised facing the sky above.

Bellamy stopped as soon as he no longer felt Clarke's presence beside him, sending him jogging back to find the blonde stood completely unmoving with her eyes shut tight facing the sky.

"Clarke?" His voice came out barely above a whisper as he surveyed the area around them, looking for any kind of danger lurking in the shadows. The sun had already begun to disappear, leaving them stranded between the end of days and the beginning of the now never ending nights. He knew they needed to be getting back as fast as they could, but how was he supposed to tell her this? How was he supposed to explain the dangers the world now held.

"Clarke, we have to go" Bellamy stepped closer to the blonde, resting his hand firmly against her arm to emphasise his words.

The exact moment Bellamy's hand collided with Clarke's arm, it seemed as though the world itself had stopped rotating. He watched as Clarke's body started convulsing, whilst her eyes shot open revealing them to be entirely white.

"Clarke! Holy shit!" Bellamy caught the blonde just in time as her whole body became limp. He pushed off the ground, heaving her up and pulling her closer to his chest before taking off into a fast sprint. He only stopped once, to make sure Clarke was still breathing, before finally making it back to the meeting point. He only prayed he had made it back in time. From the looks of it he hadn't.

Bellamy gently lay Clarke's unconscious body down against the soft grass below before climbing atop the middle of the large round about. He peered above the cars and buildings, only to find darkness surrounding them. He briefly glanced down at Clarke's unmoving body whilst shaking his head and letting out an uneven breath, casting a soft mist in front of him. This couldn't be it. This couldn't be how this all ended. Not after everything they'd been through.

The sound of Clarke's soft moans snapped Bellamy away from his own thoughts, sending him hoping off the sign he stood on and kneeling down beside the blonde. He picked her weak body from the floor, turning around to find an abandoned petrol station not far from where he stood. The chill of the dark night had already began seeping into Bellamy's bones as he steadily walked across the road, dodging a few unrecognisable bodies, before he made it to his destination.

Once inside, Bellamy made sure to barricade the door shut before taking Clarke towards the back of the abandoned store. He rested her against the wall behind the till whilst simultaneously looking for any supplies that may help them. Unfortunately, the only things left ranged from babies diapers to lottery tickets. Completely useless. Bellamy thought to himself as he slid down the wall next to Clarke, resting his head back and releasing an aggravated groan.

"Where are we?" Clarke's groggy voice had Bellamy snapping his head in her direction, finding her looking around them with a confused expression etched across her face.

"At the meeting point. But it looks like we're stuck here until morning, so best get comfy blondie"

The familiar nick name had Clarke internally cringing as soon as Raven's face flashed through her memory, followed by her mother and then her father.

"Where's Lexa?" Clarke watched as Bellamy registered her question, a small smile developing at the corner of his lips. She saw the smile threatening to envelop him being wiped off his face and instead was replaced by a melancholy look in his eyes.

Bellamy couldn't look at Clarke anymore, not after seeing the depths of hope behind her eyes. "Le...She's back at the base"

"The base? What do you mean? Will you tell me what the hell is going on?"

Clarke watched Bellamy closely as he turned back to face her, a pensive look across his face. His mouth opened ever so slightly in answer to Clarke's answer, but immediately closed when he heard the all too familiar noise of scurrying feet, along with the echoing snarls. Blonde hair whipped across his face as Clarke's back went ridged whilst turning her head towards the front door of the shop.

"What is..." Bellamy's hand covered Clarke's mouth, stopping her words from escaping. She turned to him, a wide eyed look on her face as he held one finger up to his own mouth.

"Lexa! Stop!"

Lexa continued, ignoring Raven's pleas, as she stormed out of the control tower, almost taking the door with her.

"Lexa Woods, you stop right there!" Raven's condescending tone had Lexa stopping and turning to face her, expecting to find a disapproving look on Raven's face. Instead, she only found concern filled brown eyes staring back at her. Lexa knew she could easily out run the other girl, especially with her newly fitted leg brace but there was no way in hell she would do that now. Not after seeing the look adorning Raven's face.

Raven watched her friend slink her back down against the nearest wall, looking up at the star filled sky above. She hobbled over, resting her own body against the wall next to Lexa. They both sat, not saying a word, just simply looking up at the sky, cringing every now and then when they heard the echoing snarls in the distance.

Lexa was the first to break the silence, "I should have gone with them, Raven. This is all my fault"

Raven turned to find Lexa with her head in both hands and knee's drawn up close to her chest. She reached out, placing one hand gently against Lexa's forearm. "Hey, it's not your fault. And listen, they're resourceful. They probably knew they couldn't make it back before night fall so they'll have found shelter"

"I hope you're right" Lexa cooed as she lifted her head, looking towards Raven. "How's your leg?"

Raven glanced down at her mangled leg, wincing involuntarily before turning her attention back to Lexa. "Same old, hurts like a bitch. But what can you do, right?" The half smile playing on her lips gave Lexa a sense of pride.

The sound of mechanical whirring and clanging broke up their little moment of peace, with both girls jumping up, well Lexa jumped and pulled Raven up with her. Monty flew out from the control tower, running across the tarmac and waving both hands like a maniac. Lexa snapped her head to the right, towards the huge double doors securing the base, which were now slowly opening. The familiar revving of an engine filled Lexa with hope as she took off in a gentle jog towards the main gates.

The gates were only opened half way as Lincoln's heavily armoured Subaru Impreza came barrelling towards her and skidding to a stop once fully inside the base. The gates behind them had already begun to roll to a close when Octavia hopped out of the car, slamming the door shut behind her. The swords attached to her back were clearly drenched in blood, god knows whose.

"Where's Bellamy?" The words left Lexa's mouth without her thinking, causing Octavia to stop just a few feet away from her, a look of dread creeping onto her face.

"We stayed out as long as we could, Lexa. Those fucking loonies were out there again, in their ridiculous white hazard suits. They were after something, or someone. I don't know" Lexa nodded her head in confirmation before taking Octavia into her arms, holding her as tight as she could. Lincoln wasn't far behind when he too engulfed both girls in his strong embrace. They were the only ones left. Aside from Luke, but no one knew where he was. If he was still alive.

"Alright, I wanna get some of this love!" Raven hobbled over, squeezing herself in between Lexa and Octavia who happily let her.

"Ok, come on. Let's get you cleaned up. As soon as daylight hits, I'll go and look for Bellamy" Lexa's words washed over Octavia, but she was too exhausted to reply, simply nodding her head in agreement.

Lincoln wandered back to his car, driving it further into the compound with Raven in tow, saying she would check it over for improvements.

Once back inside, Octavia disappeared to her room, leaving Lexa alone to stare at her own quarters. She daren't go inside, for the memories were too much to take. Instead, she shook off her own exhaustion and headed back in the direction of the control tower. The walk was like it always was, long and uneventful. The pictures of the service men and women lining the wall never failed in making Lexa feel immense guilt. She wasn't a hero like they were. She didn't give her life to her country like they did. Yet here she stands, walking the same halls as they once did. Why she survived this god forsaken disaster was a mystery to her. She was a monster, nothing more and nothing less.

"Hey, Lex!" Lincoln's soft voice brought Lexa back to earth, turning around to find her friend jogging down the hall towards her. "I want to come with you in the morning, to find Bell"

Lexa began shaking her head, "No, Lincoln. You need to rest"

"With all due respect, when was the last time you got proper rest?" He had her there. But it wasn't his responsibility. He wasn't the one to send them out there, she was. It was Lexa's responsibility to find Bellamy and bring him home, and that's exactly what she was going to do.

"Don't worry about me, Lincoln. I'm fine, but if you insist, then we leave at first light. Not a minute later, got it?" His genuine smile and nod of the head was the last she saw of him before he was jogging down the corridor in the same direction as Octavia.

"Hey dude!" Jasper called out from his chair as he saw Lexa entering the room. He was just about to shovel his last Twinkie in his mouth before Lexa raised her eyebrows at him. The slight shrug of his shoulders gave Lexa enough of an answer as he did indeed shove the last Twinkie in his already full mouth. She simply shook her head and continued towards the centre of the room, where dozens of maps were lying on top of one another on the centre table.

Lexa placed both hands out on either side of the table, leaning over, whilst surveying the closest map. There was a large red circle towards the middle of the map, with her hand writing clarifying that this would be the meeting point if any member of the team were to get separated. Her hand absentmindedly ghosted over the pen marks, bringing with it a sense of dread as she thought of her closest friend out in the dark, all alone with those creatures. Said hand flew up and crashed into the table in a fist, causing Jasper to startle across the room.

"I'm sorry, Jasper" Lexa breathed out as she turned away from the table, leaning her body weight against it as she closed her eyes.

"Hey, Lex?"

"Raven?" Lexa's dull green eyes bore into Raven's as she watched the younger girl standing in front of her, both hands folded across her chest. She quickly looked around to find Jasper's chair now empty and the beginning of dawn making it's first appearance.

Before Lexa even had the chance to move, Raven pushed her back using one of her hands against the brunette's chest, sending her stumbling back into the table.

"Stop, Lexa. Just stop!" Raven let out a shaky breath before continuing, "Jasper said you were just stood here all night, totally comatose. Wanna tell me what the hell is going on? Because it's not just Bellamy. This isn't the first time one of them has been stranded for the night, and it probably won't be the last. So, what in the world is going on in that head of yours?"

Lexa broke free from Raven's hold, turning to lean on the table once more, stealing a quick glance at the maps before closing her eyes and preparing to answer. "It's...I don't know, something feels different. I can't explain it"

"It's Clarke, isn't it?" Raven's words flew straight to Lexa's chest. She felt her own tears threatening to fall as blonde hair and blue eyes filled her thoughts. The last time she saw Clarke was a little over two years ago.

Before Lexa had the chance to open her mouth in reply, the door to the control room burst open, revealing Lincoln wearing his tactical vest and carrying his trustworthy shot gun.

"Not a minute later, Lex! Come on, time to go!"

Lexa took one last look at Raven, seeing the pain hidden in her eyes, before she retreated from the room, following Lincoln towards the tarmac. His car was already set up, engine humming quietly as the sun broke through the morning haze. Lexa climbed into the passengers seat, finding her trusty swords and dagger waiting for her, along with a bullet proof vest. She looked over at Lincoln, eye brows raised as he adjusted his own vest.

"What? You can't be too safe, Lexa" His words caused Lexa to roll her eyes before placing the vest over her head, and adjusting the dagger resting on the strap attached to her leg.

Lincoln rolled the car down the hill, through the now opened gate, with the sun blaring through the darkened wind shield. The once green fields surrounding the army base were now a darkened brown colour, with the tree's standing at awkward angles from being frazzled.

The drive was pleasantly relaxing, with the only sound being the gentle hum of the Subaru's engine. Lexa had the window down fully, letting the cool breeze of the autumnal morning air glide across her face. She closed her eyes, momentarily finding herself driving her own truck down the highway, the warm summer air flowing through the opened windows, with Clarke sitting by her side. Her soft melodic voice filling her senses as she hummed along to whatever tune was playing on the radio.

Lincoln's jerky movements had the car swaying aggressively to one side of the road, in order to avoid hitting a few burnt out corpses. Lexa's eyes opened instantly, her heart dropping at the realisation of the current situation they were in. Clarke wasn't in the car with her. There was no music playing on the radio. And summer was long gone, leaving them stranded between heaven and hell. Or Purgatory, as Jasper likes to call it.

"Sorry" Lincoln's mumbled apology softened Lexa's features. She fell back into the chair, resting her head back, but she daren't close her eyes again. Lexa knew she would never be able to go back to that life. This was her reality now. Long, dreaded nights and short, grey days filled with sadness and longing. For all of them.

After a good twenty minutes of driving, Lincoln began slowing the car and eventually stopping it around twenty metres from the meeting point. They both took one look at each other before exiting the car in tandem. Lexa pulled one sword from where it rested against her back, holding it out to the side, where as Lincoln held his shotgun close to his chest.

They walked on opposite sides of the road, slowly, as to not attract any unwanted attention. God knows what lay in wait for them. Luckily, the days didn't seem to be as dangerous as the nights, but there could still be dangers lurking in the shadows. Lexa found that out the hard way. She absentmindedly ghosted her free hand across her abdomen, remembering vividly the attack she endured when she saved Raven a few months back.

Lexa held her hand up, signalling for Lincoln to stand guard as she walked cautiously towards the large island roundabout in the centre of the road. She found a few foot prints embedded in the grass, surrounded by long skeletal ones. Her head snapped up, immediately surveying the area surrounding her. Eventually her eyes settled on the old, abandoned petrol station across the road, with the door having clearly being barricaded from the opposite side. She signalled for Lincoln to follow her, before retrieving her other sword, holding them in front of her in a protective stance.

Together, they approached the door, taking one last look at the area before Lincoln brought his leg up and crashed it into said door. It practically flew from it's hinges, causing an enormous crash to echo throughout the shop. A few empty tins could be heard falling to the floor, followed by hushed words and quiet whispers.

"Bellamy?" Lexa called gently as she took one step into the shop.

A small figure came flying out from the shadows, barrelling it's entire body weight into Lexa's. The brunette took a swift step back as she felt two thin arms wrapping around her neck, holding on for dear life. Bellamy's figure came into view just behind them, a small smile playing on his lips as he took in Lexa's bewildered expression.

"No way" Lincoln's whispered words had Lexa fighting against the vice like grip this girl seemed to wield around her neck. She pushed back, using all her strength, as the girl seemed to get the message by retreating her arms. Lexa couldn't see in this light, it was way too dark to see anything. She placed one of her swords back into it's holster, whilst simultaneously pulling the mysterious girl outside into the light. As soon as she saw the traces of blonde hair, her heart stopped, as well as her ability to speak.

Two cerulean blue eyes continued to stare back at her, a mixture of fear and expectance swimming within. Lexa had been waiting for this moment for two years. Two years, she'd been searching for this girl who stood before her, looking as beautiful as she'd remembered. Her free hand tentatively came up between them, hesitantly making it's way towards the other girls cheek.

"Is it really you?" Lexa's whispered words were only heard by the two of them. Everything else ceased to exist.

"Yes, Lexa it's me. What's happening?" Clarke's husky voice brought tears to Lexa's eyes. She'd only dreamt of hearing her voice one more time.

Without answering Clarke's question, Lexa simply shook her head in disbelief before dropping her sword and taking the blonde's face in both hands, bringing her in for a gentle kiss. The tears fell from Lexa's eyes as soon as their lips touched. The kiss was over just as quick as it had begun, leaving Clarke wanting more. She leant forward in search for Lexa's lips but the brunette pulled back, looking behind her in alarm. It was then that Clarke truly saw Lexa, with what seemed to be battle scars lining her neck and arms. Her face wasn't as tanned as she remembered, and her eyes were definitely not as full of life and green as she remembered them to be.

"Come now, we should be getting back. Lincoln, will you take Clarke back to the car?" He simply nodded his head in reply whilst leading a confused Clarke back to his car.

"Bellamy. We seem to have a lot to catch up on" Lexa looked up at her closest friend, who stared back at her wild eyed and tired.


	20. Chapter 20

Everything was a haze for Clarke as she sat on the hard mattress placed on the metal bed. As soon as the large metal gates opened and they entered what must have been one of the largest army bases Clarke had ever seen, the chaos began. Raven came first, burying her tear soaked face into the crook of Clarke's neck. Then came Jasper and Monty, followed by Octavia who whisked her away from the craziness.

The blonde continued to sit in her bewildered state whilst Octavia paced the room, biting on what little nails she had left, as Raven wouldn't take her eyes off Clarke. She sat on the opposite side of the simple room, her leg jittering anxiously.

"Where's Lexa? Where are we?" Clarke's words went unanswered as she looked exasperatedly between Raven and Octavia.

There was a soft knock from the door, making Clarke jump in the hope it would be Lexa on the opposite side. Octavia went to answer it, opening the door slightly but not enough for Clarke to see who was on the other side. She watched as the other girl nodded her head in confirmation before closing the door and looking back solemnly at Clarke. She watched as Octavia walked towards her, kneeling down just in front of the blonde before addressing her.

"Clarke, they just want to run a few tests, ok? Nothing to worry about"

Clarke's brows knitted together in confusion, "Tests? No I'm fine, I just want to see Lexa"

Raven let out a tiny sigh before there was a further knock from the door, but instead of waiting for a reply, the door creaked open, revealing two figures that Clarke didn't recognise. The first stepped in, showing a scruffy, dirty blonde haired male with his shaggy hair hanging down just above his eyebrows. His baggy jumper showing clear signs of malnutrition and the heavy circles around his eyes showing his exhaustion. The girl alongside him didn't look far better. Perhaps worse off in the malnutrition department. Her eyes were downcast as she continued past Octavia, who had moved from in front of Clarke and stood on the far side of the room alongside Raven.

"Hi, my name is Louisa and this is Chris. We just want to check a few things, ok?" Clarke watched as Louisa carefully placed her equipment on the bed beside Clarke before dragging over one of the empty chairs. The blonde didn't comment on how ridiculous it was that people kept asking her if it was ok, when she was sure they weren't going to wait for her to say no anyway.

Chris walked behind Louisa, glancing briefly towards Octavia, who glared at him with intention before he turned his attention back to Clarke. His jaw was set firmly as he revealed a strange looking device from his carry bag. Clarke remembered it looking like a portable metal detector that people used to have at airports, but slightly bigger. He carefully turned it over in his hands before walking closer towards a wary looking Clarke. Something snapped inside her, making her back straighten and her legs coming up against her chest protectively. She felt her body moving backwards of its own accord, only stopping when she felt the coldness of the wall pressing against her back.

Clarke's sudden movements had both Chris and Louisa stop, with Octavia coming up behind them to assess the situation.

"I knew we should have done this in a controlled environment. She's too erratic. Lexa should know better" Chris' disapproving tone set Octavia alight with rage.

"Don't you forget that Lexa was the one to save you. Now, I want you to leave and do the test later" Octavia's chillingly intimidating tone had Louisa up and out of the chair within seconds, practically dragging Chris out of the room with her.

A few seconds after the door was shut, Clarke let out a shaky breath when Raven hobbled across the room, gently resting her body towards the end of the bed. She tentatively reached out, resting her hand against Clarke's bent knee in the hopes it would settle the blonde. Her cerulean eyes were wide with worry as they locked with Raven's own.

"What's happening, Ray?" Clarke's small voice filled Raven's senses, with her chest restricting before she went to open her mouth in reply.

"What do you remember, Clarke?"

"Erm..the last thing I remember is waking up on the side of the road. But before that, it was when me and Lexa went to that meeting point. With the dome thing" Clarke's words had Raven and Octavia sharing a worried look before Octavia bid her farewell, knowing Lexa was the one who should be having this conversation with the blonde.

 **XxXxX**

"She doesn't remember, Lex. Any of it! She doesn't know where she's been for the past two years. All she can remember, is waking up on the side of the road before Bellamy saved her"

Lexa continued to stare out over the desolate fields surrounding the army base whilst she absorbed Octavia's words. She absentmindedly tugged down on the ends of her jumper, trying her best to cover all the skin of her scarred hands before placing them neatly in her lap. Her posture would suggest she could be meditating, something that seemed so foreign now in this world. She inhaled deeply before turning her head to lock eyes with Octavia's almost grey irises.

"I don't understand, how can she be alive O?" Lexa breathed out whilst slowly bringing her knees up against her chest to stop it from exploding.

Octavia looked down at her closest friend, her sister, before she spoke. "We know, as well as anyone, that nothing is impossible, Lexa" the younger girl knelt down, placing her hand down gently against Lexa's shoulder. "You have to speak to her"

Lexa looked up, her green eyes glassy and lips parted slightly. "She died, Octavia. I _felt_ it"

Octavia watched, speechless, as a single tear fell from Lexa's eye, her chest constricting at the thought of losing Lincoln the way Lexa's not only lost Costia, but thought she had lost Clarke too. Lexa's shaky hand came up from it's resting place, shadowing Octavia's that still rested against her shoulder.

After a few minutes of simply being in each other's presence, Lexa inhaled deeply before turning to Octavia, a look of determination in her eyes as she opened her mouth to speak.

"Will you take me to her?" Lexa's hesitant voice had Octavia nodding in confirmation, perhaps too eagerly, as both girls scurried off Lexa's hiding spot atop of the roof of the main building.

 **XxXxX**

"She's asleep. Has been for the past twenty minutes or so"

"Do you think she has one of them inside of her?"

"Honestly, Lexa, I can't tell. Sometimes I think she might, but then others she's looking at me and talking to me as if nothing were wrong. As if we were back in Bayfield without a care in the world" Raven continued to look down at the sleeping blonde as she spoke, her voice riddled with sadness and guilt.

"Thanks, Raven" Lexa breathed out as she settled down on the chair beside the bed, never taking her eyes away from Clarke's sleeping form. Raven placed her hand gently atop of Lexa's shoulder, squeezing lightly in re-assurance before exiting the room.

To Lexa, Clarke couldn't look more peaceful. Her blonde locks splayed out haphazardly across the pillow beneath her, whilst her chest rose in equal intervals with every breath she inhaled. It reminded Lexa of when Luke had rescued Clarke from the hospital in Bayfield, when the blonde lay on her sofa and none of them knew whether she would make it. Lexa ducked her head down, averting her gaze away from Clarke, the memories proving too much for her.

The twitch in Clarke's hand brought her head snapping up. She hadn't even realised she'd taken the blonde's hand in her own until now. Lexa brought her other free hand up to cradle Clarke's in both her own, playing with each finger individually before moving her hand to rest in blonde hair. She began absentmindedly stroking Clarke's forehead, not realising the blonde had already began to stir from her slumber.

"Lexa?" The brunette snapped her head up, looking directly at Clarke's awaiting blue eyes staring back at her. Lexa watched as the other girls lips pulled upwards slightly at the corners, pushing her head further into Lexa's hand.

Lexa couldn't help mirroring the smile as she spoke, "Hey you. How are you feeling?"

"Just a bit tired. Will you help me up?" Clarke's grip on Lexa's hand tightened as the blonde pulled herself up from her lying position, only to be held up by Lexa's strong arm around her waist. Clarke could feel Lexa's breath ghosting across her cheek, before she turned her head slightly, now realising how easy it would be to capture the brunette's lips. The only thing stopping the blonde from doing so, was the intensity of Lexa's eye boring into her own, as if trying to read her soul all over again. She could vaguely remember the same look on the other girls face when she had first met her in Bayfield, causing her chest to tighten at the thought of everything they had lost.

Clarke opened her mouth, readying the words she had been wanting to express to Lexa ever since seeing her again, however the brunette removed her arm from Clarke's waist, leaving a feeling of dread to wash over her. Lexa removed herself from the bed altogether, finding it best to get some distance from Clarke, until they knew exactly what they were dealing with. It wasn't the first time this had happened. Bellamy had unfortunately been re-united with Emma after a year apart, only to find out that it wasn't really her. There was no denying that it was her body, along with her memories, but it wasn't her. An imposter in the younger girls body. Lexa instantly dropped her head, tearing her gaze away from Clarke's disappointed eyes, full of rejection and confusion. She couldn't let what happened to Bellamy happen to her. She was determined not to. Not after everything they had been through.

"Lexa?" Clarke's hesitant whisper broke Lexa out of her stupor, lifting her head to lock eyes with that beautiful shade of blue she had fallen in love with. She could feel herself getting drawn in again, wanting nothing more than to take the blonde into her arms and never let go. But she couldn't. Not yet, anyway. The brunette shook her head, disappointed in herself before schooling her expression into one of stone, something she had come to learn was for the best over the past two years. She was no longer the care free girl she had once been. There was no room for that in this world. Lexa could see Clarke's brows furrowing together in confusion, but she pushed the feeling of guilt aside so she could begin her interrogation. If you could call it that.

"I know you've already spoken to Raven, but will you tell me exactly what you remember?" Clarke raised her brows in surprise at Lexa's cold voice, but soon schooled her features and told her exactly what she had told Raven, slightly irritated that Lexa seemingly didn't believe her.

"Ok, so you don't remember where you've been for the past two years?"

Clarke inhaled deeply before replying, "No, I didn't even know that it had been two years until Raven just told me. What's going on Lexa? Can you just be honest with me?"

Lexa turned her head to the side, mulling over Clarke's words and trying not to get distracted by the intense gaze she could feel from the other girl. Even if Clarke was some sort of imposter, the truth wouldn't do any harm, seeing as thought they would find out eventually. She slowly turned her head, her green eyes locking with blue, before she replied to Clarke.

"We found out around a year and a half ago, that the government had planted chips into everyone at birth. It was a strategy for population control. These chips could determine when and how a person died, whether it be cancer or pneumonia. Or they would simply let the person die of old age. Someone hacked into the system, setting off dozens of the chips and killing the majority of the population" Clarke watched intently as Lexa looked down at the floor, shaking her head slightly before returning her gaze back on herself, a look she couldn't determine behind those green eyes.

"We had been separated in the bunker right before the chips were set off. That's when you died. I couldn't feel you anymore, my wolf couldn't feel you. I didn't even have the time to look for you before the bombs were dropped. As luck had it, the system the hackers broke into, also controlled nuclear and napalm bombs. But also a toxin, lethal to any human caught in it for too long"

Clarke was almost positive she saw a tear fall from Lexa's eye, but the brunette was too quick at averting her gaze. A few seconds passed and Clarke watched on, her brows furrowed together, as Lexa's expression turned back to stoic and cold. The only thing betraying Lexa were her eyes. Those brilliant green eyes that spoke a thousand words and none at all at the same time. Clarke wasn't a fool. The blonde could tell Lexa was itching to do something. To say something. But she never did. Instead she watched as the brunette flicked her hand up, turning her head slightly to the right and nodding once. The same feeling of dread crept up on Clarke as Lexa went to open the door, revealing Chris with his weird metal detector instrument from earlier, standing on the other side, a look of disdain across his face.

"This should have been done properly, Lexa. Especially after last time" Chris' dismissive tone would usually have Lexa's wolf growling in annoyance, especially when it came to Clarke. But she was simply too tired to argue back. Too tired for all of this. Instead, she simply nodded her head, agreeing with him before letting him past her. He stalked his way across the room, not bothering to even look at Clarke before he sat down on the chair where Lexa sat not minutes ago.

"Right, no more flinching. This isn't going to hurt" Chris finally looked towards Clarke, his dark grey eyes piercing and broody.

Lexa watched intently as Clarke momentarily flinched away from Chris and his device, but soon she saw the blonde settle, exhaling deeply before she closed her eyes and waited for this guy to finish whatever tests he needed to complete. The atmosphere in the room became tense as they each awaited the results. Chris was methodical, maybe too methodical for Clarke's liking. He spent a long time circling her head with the beeping device, before moving it down her neck and across her chest. The rest of her body was scanned thoroughly, causing Lexa great discomfort when she saw Chris' hands settling on the blonde, who jumped slightly at the unfamiliar touch.

Without realising, Lexa's wolf sparked to life, emitting a low but deep growl to rumble through her chest and fill the awkward silence in the room. Both Chris and Clarke held their breaths, the blonde snapping her head instantly in the direction of Lexa, only to find deep, green eyes boring into the back of Chris' head. As if he could feel the brunette's eyes on him, he slowly lowered the device, moving away from Clarke before turning his head to look at Lexa. He knew when not to provoke Lexa, and this was certainly one of those moments.

"Lexa, I'm almost finished" His soft words were followed by another growl, but this one not as threatening. He swallowed whilst turning back to Clarke, lifting his shaking hands to complete his check. Clarke couldn't help the smirk that grew on her lips as she snuck another glance towards Lexa, finding her standing rigid against the wall, her jaw contracting and eyes focused on the floor. The brunette clearly refusing to look at Clarke or Chris.

Eventually, Chris finished his tests, turning back towards Lexa with a grin adorning his features. "It's negative, Lexa. No signs of the chip"

Clarke felt the anger bubbling in her chest. Why they couldn't just tell her all of this in the first place, baffled the blonde. She dropped her head, averting Chris' now shining eyes as she shook her head, not wanting to believe that Lexa didn't think she was actually herself.

"Leave us" Lexa's stern voice sounded through the room, causing Chris to quickly collect his belongings and scurry from the room without a second thought.

Lexa didn't move and neither did Clarke. They didn't even look at each other, but stayed glued to their respective spots. The silence between the two became too much, with Lexa pushing herself off the wall to head towards Clarke, the blonde's head now resting in both hands.

"Clarke?" Lexa's whispered plea went unanswered by the blonde, who simply lifted her head from her hands, a look of betrayal in her eyes. Lexa felt the weight of her guilt consume her completely, stopping her in her tracks before she swallowed her feelings.

"We had to be sure" Lexa's now expressionless face had Clarke realising the predicament they were in. Clearly, the brunette had been through a lot over the past two years, and it wasn't just losing Clarke but other things that the blonde didn't know about. And how she wanted to know. Her gaze softened as she went to stand, bracing the bed for support as she pushed upwards.

Clarke steadily took a step closer to Lexa, watching as the brunette's body stiffened at their close proximity. She could sense the change in Lexa's breathing, with her heart beating faster and lips parted slightly. The look behind the brunette's eyes causing Clarke to furrow her brows in confusion. A look she couldn't quite put her finger on.

"Lexa I..."

The sound of the door swinging open and hitting the wall behind it caused Lexa to snap out of her reverie, taking a step away from Clarke and the pleading look in her blue eyes.

"Clarke! It's you, for real!" Raven's screams echoed through the room as she barged in, practically barrelling into the blonde, who let out a deep grunt in response to the surprise attack.

To Clarke's dismay, the room was now empty apart from the blonde and Raven. Lexa had snuck out without a whispered word. Without even a glance back towards Clarke. The blonde's heart sank with the new found knowledge, vowing to find Lexa and settle whatever needed to be settled between them before nightfall


	21. Chapter 21

**Hii! I'm sorry if I haven't explained the two year gap in the story very well. After this chapter, I'll add in some flash backs to fill in the gaps :)**

 **Hope you enjoy!**

As soon as Raven had decided to let Clarke go, she darted from the room in search of Lexa, hoping she would be able to weave through the maze like corridors of the army base. The blonde could vaguely remember walking down what felt like the longest corridor to have ever existed when Octavia and Raven lead her to her room. Luckily after a few mishaps and curse words, Clarke finally found herself at one end of said corridor, suddenly feeling very nervous at the prospect of coming face to face with Lexa. She remembered the excitement she used to feel when she had first met the brunette, there was something that just pulled her in, like gravity. No matter of time or distance would ever rid her of that feeling. She had to see her.

Clarke's feet moved swiftly, her white pumps squeaking against the laminate flooring below. She huffed out in annoyance around half way down the corridor, briefly looking behind her to find she hadn't actually made it that far.

"For gods sake" Clarke's words flew past her lips in barely a whisper, but somehow Lincoln had meandered down the corridor from the opposite direction, a slight smile playing on his lips at the disgruntled blonde before him.

"Bad day?"

Clarke looked up, locking eyes with Lincoln's playful brown orbs. She let out something akin to a laugh before replying, "Bad couple of years"

The look on Lincoln's face was no longer playful, but remorseful. "I'm sorry, Clarke. You're looking for Lexa?"

"How did you know?"

The warm smile on Lincoln's face warmed Clarke's heart. She always found him to be the kindest out of the pack.

"Call it a hunch. She's in the control room with Bell. It's down this corridor, then to the right. You can't miss it"

Clarke nodded her head in appreciation, offering a tiny smile before she took her final steps towards the end of the corridor, leaving Lincoln to watch her go.

The sound of raised voices had Clarke peaking around the corner of the corridor, seeing the door what must be the control room ajar. She made sure to pick her feet up properly as to not make a sound as she descended on the room. Lexa's voice instantly awoke something in Clarke's chest. She pushed it down when she heard Bellamy raising his voice in reply. The closer she got, the clearer the words came to Clarke. She knew she should really announce her presence, but she couldn't deny they would instantly stop talking about whatever it is they were talking about as soon as she entered the room. So, it didn't really leave her with any other choice than to eavesdrop.

"Are you sure, Bellamy?"

Bellamy raised his brows again, feeling exhausted with this conversation already. "Yes, Lexa. I'm sure. There's no doubt we need to stock up on supplies. We barely have any food left, not to mention we're steadily running out of water. We probably have until the end of the week, and we're going to starve to death after that"

Lexa closed her eyes, momentarily gathering herself, before she placed both hands on the table separating herself and Bellamy. Her head bowed down, her own exhaustion pulling at her limbs, begging for the rest they so desperately needed.

"Ok, me and you shall go today to try and find what we need. Are you up for it?"

Before Bellamy even had the chance to open his mouth to reply, the door swung open, revealing a disgruntled looking Clarke, her brows turned downwards and lips parted as she regained her breath.

"Clarke, what are you.."

The blonde raised her hand, successfully silencing Lexa before she went to speak herself.

"I'm going with you"

Bellamy watched on, not daring to speak. Not when Lexa looked like she was about to erupt.

"Don't be ridiculous. You're not going anywhere"

Clarke felt her wolf sparking to life, the anger bubbling through her chest at the brunette's words.

"What happened to not controlling me, Lexa?"

The two girls had gradually drifted towards each other, now standing a couple of feet apart whilst they stared intently at one another.

"Things aren't the same, Clarke. You have no idea what dangers lurk out there" Lexa's voice had softened slightly, but her intense gaze never faltered. Clarke seemed taken aback by Lexa's resolve, thinking maybe she had made a mistake. Only until Lexa decided to retreat, looking directly at Bellamy before she announced they would now be leaving, _without_ Clarke.

"No! Either I go with you, or I go out there on my own. Your choice" The words had left Clarke's mouth without her even thinking, causing Lexa's body to stiffen and swiftly turn on her heels. Her almost black eyes sending a shiver through Clarke _. If looks could kill._ The blonde thought to herself.

"Fine. Let's go" With Lexa's words, Bellamy and Clarke followed closely, the older boy looking worriedly between the two girls as they walked.

They reached the garages within minutes, Lexa not waiting for Clarke before she disappeared into a side room. On return, the brunette was holding a magnitude of weapons and what looked like bullet proof vests. Bellamy went about grabbing what he usually would, a sturdy rifle and handgun which he strapped to his thigh. Clarke watched as Lexa followed suit, but instead, she attached a sharp looking dagger to her thigh, with two mean looking swords strapped to her back. They both placed the vests over their chests, strapping themselves in. Clarke simply stood watching, not having any clue as to what to do or what to take. She shook her head in disbelief at herself. She refused to look like a clueless fool after just demanding to accompany the two on their supply run.

Clarke denied Bellamy of any help, whilst she strapped her own bullet proof vest across her chest. Then, taking one of the handguns, she played with it, holding it in both hands before placing it back in it's holster on her waist. Luckily, she could remember the day her father had taught her how to use one. She'd be lost right now without that lesson.

After turning, she found Lexa's eyes on her, the brunette watching intently with a spark in her eyes, possibly adoration or pride. But it was gone within the blink of an eye, causing Clarke to let out a frustrated sigh before making her way over to the armoured jeep. She opted to sit in the back, away from both Lexa and Bellamy.

"Lets roll" Bellamy's sarcastic remark got no rise out of the girls, both of them too stubborn for their own good. He glanced in his rear view mirror finding Clarke scowling out of her window and Lexa out of her own. God knows what happened between them, but he simply wanted to get the supplies and return home. The jeep roared to life beneath them , causing Clarke to jump slightly before she settled again when Bellamy drove away from the garage, saluting up towards the control tower when both gates rattled open for them.

The sun remained high in the sky, hidden behind the darkened clouds, causing a light grey sheen to cover the roads ahead. Clarke couldn't quite remember the journey from when Lexa had rescued her and Bellamy. Maybe it was the adrenaline or just simply the shock of everything. The blonde certainly didn't remember the vast amount of burnt out cars littering the highway in front of them, and certainly not the remnants of what looked like skeletal bodies splayed out across said cars.

Lexa noticed them just after, looking warily across at Bellamy who adorned the same look on his face.

"These weren't here earlier, were they?"

"No" Lexa's answer sent a wave of worry through Clarke, even though she didn't have a clue what they meant. Whatever it was, it wasn't anything good.

"Stay alert" Bellamy nodded his head in confirmation, Clarke following suit before she felt the car speeding up, past the remains and weaving expertly through the littered cars.

After a good ten minutes of silent driving, Clarke felt Bellamy slowing the car down, rolling it to the side of the road before it came to a complete stop. He shut the engine down, leaving the three in an eerie silence without the usual sounds of cars passing, or the odd bird call. Just silence.

Lexa was the first to exit the car, making sure to leave the door slightly ajar as to not attract any unwanted attention by the slamming it shut. Bellamy followed, pulling his rifle close to his chest whilst surveying the area. Clarke watched on as both Bellamy and Lexa seemed to be doing some sort of perimeter check, looking between the adjacent buildings and up towards the multiple roof's. Clarke finally plucked up the courage to leave the safety of the jeep, mirroring Lexa's previous actions of not shutting the car door completely. She walked slowly down the side walk, her head spinning at what used to be a bustling town, now it was barely standing. The windows in all of the shops were either shattered, or boarded up, leaving little to the imagination of what happened here.

Without realising, Clarke walked right into the back of Lexa, causing the brunette to spin on the spot, her knife at the ready in her hand. Unable to move, Clarke simply looked up into green eyes, finding a storm brewing behind them. The blonde tentatively raised her hand, placing it gently against Lexa's which was by her side. She gradually watched in amazement as the storm dissipated in Lexa's eyes, leaving her completely vulnerable and open.

"Lexa" Clarke's whisper ghosted across her lips, before she felt two arms slink around her waist, pulling her flush against the brunette's chest. Clarke looked back up, surprised when she found Lexa's head facing to their left, her brows furrowed together and eyes wide in panic. It wasn't until Clarke followed Lexa's gaze that she discovered what had unsettled the brunette. It was simply one of the ugliest things Clarke had ever seen. It's four, long skeletal legs bent in disgustingly awkward angles, which shouldn't be possible. It's thin, skull head had two black eyes, both staring straight at herself and Lexa, with blood steadily dripping from it's dangerously sharp teeth.

Clarke's breathing had accelerated ten fold, causing Lexa to direct her attention away from the crawler, and back to the blonde in her arms. She gently squeezed Clarke's waist, successfully grabbing the younger girls attention. Her blue eyes were filled with a mixture of panic, shock and worry whilst Lexa pulled one of her hands up to her own face, placing a single finger against her lips, praying that Clarke understood her. Thankfully, she watched as the blonde nodded her head once in confirmation before turning her attention back to the crawler, which hadn't moved itself. Lexa knew from experience that these creatures lacked the gift of sight, but that only enhanced their sense of smell. The brunette all but held her breath as she watched the crawler's nostrils flare a few times, whilst lifting its head further into the air and licking the dropping blood from one of it's jagged fangs.

Both girls daren't move, in fear of the crawler picking up on their presence. Lexa watched as it seemed to give up, turning it's attention away from them and stalking further down the street until it disappeared down one of the alleyways. Clarke didn't let go of Lexa, and Lexa was more than happy to hold the shivering blonde until she was ready to be let go. Their heart beats seemed to beat in time to one another, as if they were one person.

The sound of gun fire brought them away from each other, sharing a look of utter panic before Lexa drew both swords from her back and Clarke the same with her handgun. The echoing gun fire died down, leaving both girls panting as they surveyed the area. Lexa stepped forward into the middle of the road, effectively shielding Clarke and also getting a good vantage point. From here she could see if anyone or anything were creeping up on them as well as down the adjacent alleyway where the crawler had disappeared.

Clarke was about to open her mouth to address Lexa when footsteps broke through the heavy silence. Bellamy came charging down the road, blood lining his face and rifle no where to be seen.

"Get in the car! Go!"

Lexa swivelled around, latching onto Clarke's hand and practically dragged her back towards the jeep. The blonde jumped into the passengers seat, with Lexa jumping up and sliding effortlessly across the bonnet before she clambered into the drivers side. Luckily, Bellamy had left the keys in the ignition, causing Lexa to let out a heavy sigh before she turned the keys, letting the car roar to life. She pushed her foot down on the accelerator, feeling the car jerk slightly before it sped down the road towards Bellamy.

Clarke inhaled sharply at the number of the creatures that now chased Bellamy. Not just the one from before, but at least ten of the ugly buggers. They were fast too, given their size. Lexa expertly turned the car in a 180 degree turn, the tyres screeching out in protest. The adrenaline pumping through both girls was palpable as they waited for Bellamy, his feet carrying him as fast as humanly possible.

Eventually, after what felt like hours, Bellamy grabbed a hold of the door handle, yanking it away as he threw his adrenaline fuelled body onto the back seats. Lexa didn't bother waiting for him to shut the door before she sped away from the crawlers, seeing one of them flying through the air and narrowly missing the car before it face planted against the tarmac.

"Are you ok? Are you hurt?" Lexa's cool demeanour sent Clarke's head spinning. She was practically in bits inside herself.

"One of them crept up on me. I should have been more alert, I'm sorry Lexa"

"It's ok. We'll head back and get you looked at properly"

"But, Lex, we haven't got any supplies yet!" Lexa looked behind her, watching Bellamy as his face scrunched together, clearly in pain.

"We are going home" Clarke couldn't help but stare at Lexa in awe, her commanding tone and expression being something she wasn't lucky enough to experience two years prior.

Bellamy bowed his head in submission, knowing full well Lexa was right. "Yes, Alpha"

Clarke's heart bottomed out. Alpha? Lexa was an Alpha? She seriously needed to know what the hell has happened over the past two years.

Lexa seemed to sense Clarke's body stiffen at the word, chancing a glance towards the blonde who simply stared back at Lexa, her mouth agape in surprise and eyes twinkling with what perhaps could be perceived as pride. Lexa couldn't tell. She would have found Clarke's expression humorous if under different circumstances. Instead, she gave Clarke a stern look, hoping the blonde would understand this wasn't the time nor the place to explain.

Clarke averted her gaze away from Lexa, instead focusing on Bellamy who lay on his back with his arm draped over his eyes. The blood had already began to dry, meaning the cut he had on his forehead was only small and nothing really to be worried about, but she could understand Lexa wanting to get them back. The brunette was actually driving a bit like a mad man, dodging and weaving through the abandoned cars as if it were a race. A stark contrast to Bellamy's previous slow and precise driving.

Finally, Lexa began slowing the car once the army base came into view, her rigid posture relaxing ever so slightly. As soon as the gates were open, she parked the car outside the main building, switching off the engine and leaving the car without a word spoken to either Clarke or Bellamy.

"What the hell happened?" Octavia's rising voice snapped Clarke out of her thoughts, making her exit the car and help Bellamy out of the back of the car to face the wrath of his sister.

"The crawlers" Bellamy growled out.

"During daylight?!"

Bellamy simply nodded in confirmation to his sisters question, placing his arm around her shoulders for support. With Bellamy in the safe hands of Octavia, Clarke decided she needed to find Lexa. She needed to know what the hell was going on.

* * *

"Lexa?" Clarke called from the corridor of Lexa's room, after not receiving a reply from her previous knock to the door. Bless Raven for showing her the way. She definitely would have gotten lost in this maze of a place if not.

Clarke didn't receive an answer after calling the brunette's name again, so meandered further into the apartment, towards what looked like the sitting room. It was pretty basic, nothing special, with one three seater sofa against the back wall and a T.V settled in the corner. A door was situated just to the right of the sofa, leading to what Clarke presumed was the bedroom and a small kitchen to the left of the T.V. There didn't seem to be any sign of Lexa being present here, even though Raven saw her entering not ten minutes earlier. The only place left to investigate was the bedroom. The blonde carefully made her way to the closed door, deciding against knocking and opened the door slowly, being met with a gentle breeze.

On the far side of the room, across from the bed, there was a set of French doors, both open and letting the breeze fly through the room with the thin curtains blowing in the wind. Clarke could just about make out Lexa's profile through the curtains, clearly hunched over the bars of the balcony. She steadily made her way through the room, feeling her heart beat increase and palms beginning to sweat. With a final inhalation of breath, Clarke lifted the curtain back, allowing her access to the balcony and also a clear view of Lexa. The blonde's heart constricted at the sight of the other girl. Her head was resting in both hands, with her fingers stretched out, massaging her temples. She'd obviously rid herself of the days clothing, now standing in a baggy t-shirt and black leggings. The slight intake of breath from Lexa let Clarke know the brunette was aware of her presence, but she still felt the need to say something. What though she wasn't sure. It was as if just the sight of the brunette had rendered her speechless.

"Lexa?" Clarke edged further forward, placing her left hand on the balcony railings whilst she watched the brunette.

"What were you thinking?" Clarke's brows furrowed, not expecting that response. Before she had time to respond, Lexa turned to face her, her green eyes clouded and jaw clenched. "What were you thinking, Clarke?" This time, Clarke took a step back as Lexa descended on her slowly, shaking her head. Suddenly, the blonde didn't have anywhere to go, with her back hitting the edge of the balcony, effectively pinning her in place whilst Lexa still stalked her. The look in Lexa's eyes again were foreign. As if she was the one possessed.

"Lexa..."

Lexa cut Clarke off by placing her hands on either side of the blonde, trapping her so she couldn't move. Their faces were once again close enough that if Lexa moved forward just that little bit more, their lips would finally touch. Clarke longed for the touch, but simply stood still, waiting for Lexa's move. It wasn't until Clarke saw the clouded look diminish from Lexa's eyes, being replaced with only love, that she finally understood.

"You could have died, don't you see?" Lexa's words fell from her lips, wrapped in a choked sob as she pushed off the balcony and turned away from Clarke.

Clarke immediately followed Lexa, gently grabbing her by the wrist and guiding her so she was now facing the blonde. No words were spoken, they conveyed everything with their eyes. Clarke released Lexa's wrist, moving down slowly to take the brunette's hand in her own, whilst her other hand wrapped around Lexa's neck. She pulled her in, only stopping slightly to make sure Lexa was ok with this. When Lexa didn't hesitate or pull back, Clarke closed the gap completely, their lips coming together in a perfectly synchronized dance, as if they'd been doing it all their lives. Clarke hoped the kiss spoke the words neither of them could say. She hoped it conveyed how sorry she was. How much she loved the brunette. And how she would never leave her.

Lexa pulled back, needing to catch her breath, just in time to see a single tear glide down Clarke's cheek. She was quick in her movements to wipe it away with her thumb, leaving her hand on Clarke's face, as if getting to know her all over. Their foreheads came together without any prompting, only wanting to be as close to each other as they could. Yet it still didn't feel like it was enough. Lexa needed to feel Clarke. To feel that she was alive. She took one last look at Clarke, somehow knowing the blonde needed this too, before bringing their lips back together again. This kiss wasn't like the previous. This kiss was deeper, more passionate, filled with a longing that would hopefully diminish with every touch and every kiss shared.

Clarke managed to wrap both hands around Lexa's neck, bringing the other girl impossibly close, whilst Lexa hummed her approval into the kiss. Their tongues came together if on instinct, the first touch successfully sending a shiver down Clarke's spine. Their heads began bobbing and weaving, both eager to chase after the other. Lexa's hands began to roam, slowly crawling down Clarke's sides, before finally reaching her hips. She gently pulled the blonde up, heaving her into the air so Clarke could wrap her legs around Lexa's waist, which she did with ease, their lips not parting once.

Lexa began peppering kisses down Clarke's exposed neck as she manoeuvred them through the doors, loving the tiny moans breaking through the blonde's slightly parted lips. She reached the bed, slowly placing Clarke's body down so she lay on her back. Clarke looked up at Lexa expectantly, lifting her hand in as an invitation for the brunette to join her. Within seconds, Lexa was lowering herself atop of Clarke, feeling the blonde's leg wrap around her waist, bringing her entire body weight on top of Clarke. Their lips reconnected in a clash of tongue and teeth as Clarke began raking her hand down Lexa's back, not stopping until she came to the hem of her t-shirt. Lexa simply nodded her head in approval, not once breaking their kiss until she had to sit up slightly for the top to come off. She now looked down on a panting Clarke as she straddled the blonde's waist, lightly grinding down against her stomach, eliciting a gloriously deep moan.

Clarke pushed herself up, pulling Lexa by the back of her neck into a bone crushing kiss, feeling the soft skin of her stomach beneath her finger tips. She smiled into the kiss after Lexa let out a barely audible moan at the touch, before raking her finger nails further down to the top of the brunette's leggings. Lexa had to pull back from the kiss, releasing a low growl at Clarke's teasing. With a swift move of her arm, Clarke was pushed down onto her back with Lexa attacking her neck with gentle nips followed by the soothing sensation of her tongue. She found her hands once again roaming the expanse of Clarke's body, her right hand firmly gripping blonde hair, where as her left moving down her stomach before gently lifting Clarke's shirt. She bit down on Clarke's pulse point as soon as her hand felt the blonde's gentle skin beneath her, slowly moving up towards her ample chest. The moment Lexa's fingers danced over the blonde's bra, Clarke's back arched, wishing she wasn't wearing a bra at all.

As if she could sense Clarke's frustration, Lexa pulled the blonde up slightly in order to remove her shirt, the bra coming off not long after. Clarke was mesmerised by Lexa. The look of complete love on her face was almost bringing tears to her eyes. She'd never loved anyone more than she loved Lexa in this moment. There was no one else for her. This brunette was her life. And she was hers.

"You're beautiful, Clarke" Lexa whispered as she took in the sight of Clarke.

"You're more beautiful, Lexa" Clarke countered, having to pull Lexa in for a kiss to stop her from protesting. She expertly removed Lexa's bra whilst their lips chased each other again, her hand wondering further down to take one of Lexa's perk breasts in her left hand. The gasp released from Lexa ghosted her lips as she watched the other girl pull away, her pupils completely blown.

They each shimmied out of their remaining clothing, whilst placing gentle yet tender kisses to each new part of skin that was revealed. The feeling of Lexa's naked body pressed against her own had Clarke's head spinning. She literally felt drunk on love. They moved in tandem, their slick bodies gliding across each other as they continued exploring, finding each other's tender spots, along with their ticklish areas. Clarke thought Lexa's giggling was one of the best sounds she had ever heard, vowing to hear that laugh every day for as long as they were together. She continued to tease the brunette, until Lexa moved further down Clarke's body, leaving tiny marks in her wake. She gave Clarke's perfect hip bones more attention than necessary, loving the slight pants and whines she was eliciting from the blonde.

"Lexa!" Clarke's pleads had Lexa smiling into the skin of the blonde's hip bone, before finally venturing further south, placing one gentle kiss atop Clarke's mound. The first touch was electric, sending a shock wave up Clarke's spine as her back arched and her head burrowed further into the pillows below her. Lexa took her time, savouring every moment and every taste as she lightly teased Clarke's opening with her tongue, before gingerly moving up towards her swollen clit. Clarke's chest heaved as she felt a coiling sensation building in the pit of her stomach. But she wanted to see Lexa. She wanted to feel her body against hers again. She wanted to feel her close.

"Lexa" The brunette snapped her head up, looking up at Clarke with concern filled eyes. The blonde simply shook her head, offering a tiny smile, before she guided Lexa back up her body so they were once again lying in tandem. Lexa looked down into Clarke's eyes as she felt the blonde's hand moving further down her body, ghosting across her stomach, before reaching it's destination. Her eyes shutting on instinct at the first touch whilst an involuntary moan escaped past her lips.

"Lexa, look at me" Clarke's demanding tone had green meeting blue within seconds. Lexa, almost overwhelmed by the adoration she found in curelean blue, momentarily forgot where she was. After mentally kicking herself for thinking she was dreaming, she pushed her lips against Clarke's as her own hand trailed up the blonde's toned legs, not stopping until she felt the arousal of the girl beneath her.

"Oh god" Clarke moaned out when she felt Lexa's slender fingers entering her whilst simultaneously curling her fingers inside the brunette, causing her to let out her own delightful moan. They began moving against each other, their kiss becoming slow then fast all at the same time. Lexa pulled back from the kiss, momentarily looking into sea blue before she began nibbling Clarke's neck, moving from her neck up to her ear lobe and taking it between her teeth. Their breathy moans filled the room as their bodies moved faster, their breasts pushed firmly together with a thin sheen of sweat to make them glide together better.

"Lexa, I'm gonna..." Clarke's breathy whisper was cut short when she felt Lexa's thumb begin stroking soft circles against her clit. The brunette nuzzled Clarke's hair, bringing her lips up to whisper into her ear.

"Come for me, come with me, Clarke"

That's what did it. That's what pushed Clarke over the edge and into blissful ecstasy. Lexa followed straight after, the feel of Clarke against her body, the feel of Clarke's fingers working inside of her coupled with that guttural moan pushed Lexa into waves of pleasure she didn't think would ever stop. Her vision was filled with a dash of white before her body went limp, falling down against Clarke's as the blonde clung to the brunette as if her life depended on it. She gently removed her fingers so she could wrap her legs around Lexa's waist, never wanting to part from the other girl.

Lexa's head had found itself resting atop of Clarke's chest, finding peace in the sound of the blonde's steady heart beat. She wasn't sure if it was what they had just shared, or if it was the fact that after two years, Clarke was back with her. She was alive and back with Lexa. The thought had Lexa's tears streaming down her face, falling straight onto Clarke's bare chest. All of her emotions she'd swallowed and kept at bay for the past two years came crashing down, finally erupting like a dormant volcano after thousands of years. Clarke didn't say anything, she simply held the brunette in her arms, letting Lexa feel what she had refused to feel for years. From losing Costia. To losing Clarke. To almost being blown up in this god awful apocalypse. To watching the life drain from Anya's eyes as she held her dearest friend in her arms. Everything came flooding back, and Clarke was Lexa's anchor. Weighing her down, and refusing to let her go.


	22. Chapter 22

_"Lexa!"_

 _Green eyes cracked open at the sound of her Alpha's strangled cries, first feeling the heaviness of her head before she realised she was splayed out across the floor of an abandoned field, alone._

 _"Lexa!" Anya's voice cut through her pounding head, causing Lexa to sit upright, her eyes now widening as the fire grew closer with every heart beat. She instantly closed her eyes, squeezing them shut before opening them again to find it wasn't a dream she was in. The surrounding tree's beginning to crackle under the immense heat of the fire had the brunette springing to her feet, turning in a full circle before she spotted Anya's wolf at the top of a hill in the near distance._

 _Lexa watched as Anya lifted her head, letting out a harrowing howl before she locked her yellow eyes onto green. Lexa's heart began to pound. Her stomach churning with what that howl meant. Instantly, she turned again, focusing on what used to be the dome like building situated in the field that her and Clarke had travelled to. The dome that was now engulfed in brilliant, red flames and surrounded by what looked like a crater of some sorts. The kind of crater you'd see in the movies, where the alien spaceship landed or the asteroid hit the earth at 100mph._

 _Almost immediately, Lexa's feet were moving. She charged forward, battling through the flames and dropping tree's to reach the dome, completely forgetting that anything else existed. Her only mission was getting to this flaming dome, even if the fire engulfed her too. She could feel the heat underneath her feet. The naked flames dancing across her bare arms, scolding her. Scarring her. But she pushed the feeling away. Pushed the pain away until all that was left was pure desperation._

 _Breathing was almost impossible at this point, but she battled through. She was almost there. Another few steps through the fire pit field and she would reach the door. Her arm came up instantly, her fingers brushing across the handle of the door before she felt her body crashing to the ground, a heavy weight resting on top of her. The air had all but left her lungs at this point. And the heat was unbearable. She was completely immobile, with the knowledge that Clarke was most likely gone. The thought alone was too much. She scrunched her eyes shut, trying with all her strength to lift her obstruction off of her, to lift the only thing in the way of reaching Clarke._

 _After a few failed attempts, Lexa finally freed herself, feeling the air fill her lungs once again, only for her heart to practically stop at the sight before her. The dome no longer stood, instead it was shattered into oblivion. No more tree's. No more fire. Just nothing. Except her and the obstruction. Anger welled up in her chest as she turned to face her obstructer, her heart constricting with the realisation of what had happened. The anger diminished into sorrow as she watched Anya's lifeless body splayed out next to her._

 _"Anya?!" Lexa's shrill shrieks tore through the crackling of the dying fire as she crawled across the frazzled floor. She hesitated before placing her hands down on Anya's fur, checking her Alpha for injuries. Her back was stripped of any fur or skin, leaving it an angry red colour whilst her two back legs looked to be snapped in half, with blood covering the rest of her body._

 _"Anya" The Alpha's eyes slowly opened, revealing them to be dark brown, looking up solemnly at Lexa as the brunette placed both hands gently down on either side of the wolf's head. She carefully picked Anya's head up, cradling it against her legs as she rocked back and forth._

 _"Be strong, Lexa" The peaceful sound of Anya's voice sounded through Lexa's head, tipping her over the edge of her breaking point as she felt the tears dropping down against her cheeks. Words failed the brunette as she went to reply, instead nodding her head and closing her eyes as she felt her Alpha slipping away._

 _Lexa wasn't sure how long she sat holding Anya's now dead wolf in her arms, before she realised the sky had clouded over, casting an angry, dark grey light across the valley, bringing with it heavy droplets of rain. Her clothes were completely soaked, the rain water mixing with her still dropping tears. She took one last look down over Anya, gently stroking her hand through matted, brown fur before she stood, looking out across the empty fields. It looked like a war zone. No wildlife or vegetation. Just the remnants of what could possibly be a nuclear bombing, or something of that magnitude. The distant sounds of helicopter blades and sirens had Lexa snapping out of her stupor, turning and sniffing the air around her. Even that didn't help. Burning corpses was the only thing filing her senses._

 _Her wolf took over, leaving her standing on all fours in the middle of the burnt out field. Taking one last look behind her at Anya's lifeless body, she raised her head before letting out a sorrowful howl and running into the abyss of nothingness._

* * *

Clarke stood still in the bathroom, staring at her reflection as she slowly washed her hands, thinking back over the previous night her and Lexa had shared. Clarke had held Lexa's body in her arms until the brunette was too exhausted to stay awake, and even then Clarke couldn't sleep. It was the first time she had a moment to herself where she could actually absorb everything she'd been told, trying and failing over again to remember the past two years. But still nothing.

Eventually, she turned the tap off after releasing an aggravated groan. The now silent bathroom surrounding her gave way to Lexa's distant whimpers. Immediately, Clarke swung the door open, running around the corner to find the brunette curled up in a ball, fisting the sheets surrounding her with a look of distraught across her sleeping face.

"Lexa?" Clarke clambered onto the bed, crawling across to Lexa's side before gently shaking the brunette. After a few failed attempts, Lexa's body shot upright, her eyes widening and scanning the room.

"Lexa, it's ok. It was just a dream" Clarke breathed out as both of her hands began gently stroking Lexa's forearms, gradually bringing her out of her stupor. The gasp that escaped the blonde's lips was completely involuntary as Lexa's shining green eyes locked onto her own. She watched in amazement as bright green steadily faded back to deep forest.

"It wasn't" Lexa's whisper was barely audible over her panicked breaths, causing Clarke to furrow her brows in confusion.

"What wasn't?"

"It wasn't a dream. It happened, Clarke"

It didn't take Clarke long to decipher Lexa's words, especially after seeing the hidden depths of pain behind her eyes. She gently brought both hands up to Lexa's face, cupping her cheeks as she stared intently into her eyes, letting Lexa know she wasn't alone anymore. A single tear fell from Lexa's eyes before Clarke moved forward, capturing plump lips with her own. The kiss was slow but powerful, filled with unspoken words and unwavering amounts of love. Lexa pushed forward, grabbing Clarke by the back of her neck so the blonde tumbled down on top of the other girl, never once breaking the kiss.

Their bodies moulded together as one as Clarke trailed a mixture of kisses and bites down Lexa's neck, eliciting soft moans from the brunette. She stopped just above Lexa's pulse point, biting down harder before sucking on the skin between her teeth.

"Clarke" Lexa's moans filled the room as her back arched into Clarke's front. It wasn't until Lexa called Clarke's name for a second time that the blonde stilled her movements, quickly bringing up her head to look into Lexa's almost black eyes.

"Take me. Make me yours" The intensity behind Lexa's eyes had Clarke's stomach somersaulting and her mouth drying up like the Sahara.

"But you're the.."

"Status doesn't matter. I don't want to wait any longer. We've waited long enough" Lexa's words resonated through Clarke, simply leaving her speechless before she nodded once in agreement. It was true, they had waited long enough.

Clarke's wolf awoke with a reformed fire. She took her time as she leant down to gently capture Lexa's lips once again, pushing her tongue out, dragging it across Lexa's bottom lip before she felt said lips parting for her. Clarke's hand found Lexa's as their tongues danced, whilst her other hand gently pulled the brunette's leg further up the bed.

Lexa's quiet whimpers and growing moans spurred Clarke on, her left hand travelling further up the brunette's leg before stopping just below her final destination. Clarke's lips detached from Lexa's, pulling her head back to look into green as she gently pushed two fingers into the brunette's opening causing her to arch her back in response. The rhythm Clarke built was slow at first as she continued to watch Lexa unravel below her, before eventually she attached their lips again in a fiery kiss. She re-arranged herself so her thigh came between Lexa's legs, using it to put extra pressure behind her thrusts, sending the brunette spiralling into deeper depths of pleasure.

"Clarke" Lexa began chanting Clarke's name in breathy whispers as she felt herself on the precipe, knowing a few more well placed thrusts would push her over the edge. The blonde slowed slightly, nuzzling her nose down Lexa's jawline, then onto her neck before she reached just above her collarbone. Lexa's breathing increased tenfold, knowing exactly what was to come.

Lexa wasn't quite sure, but she thought she heard Clarke whispering an 'I love you' but was soon brought out of her thoughts when she felt sharp canines piercing her skin, digging deep down until a tiny bit of blood trickled down her collar bone. The feeling was like nothing she had ever experienced. It was like she was floating in outer space, with no control over what direction she was going in. Not until she found Clarke. Her lover. Her mate. Her everything.

The waves of pleasure seemed to be never ending for Lexa as she continued to nuzzle up into Clarke's body, her head securely resting in the crook of her neck and eyes scrunched shut. It wasn't until a few minutes later that she realised her own canines were dug deep into Clarke's neck, the taste of copper now filling her senses. And it wasn't until she opened her eyes, pulling her head away to look up into violet eyes that she truly saw Clarke. She saw her being born, growing up into the woman she is today. She saw everything. She felt everything. Every heart break, every broken bone, every tear shed.

"I see you" Lexa whispered in amazement.

Clarke mirrored Lexa's bewildered expression, "I see _you_ , Lexa"

* * *

"It's so crazy" Lexa slowly rolled over in Clarke's arms, now leaving them lying face to face, both heads resting on the same pillow.

"What is?"

Clarke placed her hand under her head, pushing up so she was resting against her elbow. "It feels like yesterday when I was at college, studying to be a doctor, and now look at us. Two love sick werewolves in the middle of an apocalypse. One with memory loss and the other an alpha. Which we still need to discuss, by the way"

"Another time" The look in Lexa's eyes told Clarke that now wasn't the time to press further, instead she stole a quick kiss from the brunette before resting her head against Lexa's chest.

"Speaking of memory loss, can you see anything that I can't, you know, remember?"

Lexa pulled Clarke closer, not that she thought it would help, but simply to have the blonde as close as possible. She closed her eyes, focusing all her energy on Clarke. Her thoughts and feelings began weaving together as one as she sifted through different memories. It felt weird, as though she was invading the other girls privacy, but that thought diminished as she felt Clarke's hand squeeze her own in reassurance.

"What's mine is yours, Lex"

"Sounds a lot like a proposal, Clarke" Lexa countered back as she opened her eyes in defeat, knowing full well neither of them would be able to see what Clarke had been through over the past two years.

"I wish I could have proposed"

"Now, it definitely would have been me proposing, Clarke"

The blonde feigned hurt as she pushed her body off from Lexa's, placing her hand against her heart and raising her brows in retaliation. Lexa let out a small chuckle before she saw the humour diminish from Clarke's eyes, being replaced with something akin to sadness.

"Can I ask you something?"

Lexa looked into inquisitive blue eyes as she replied, "Anything"

"Why couldn't I hear Bellamy or Octavia's or Lincoln's thoughts? I know that I can hear and feel you now but that's different. I still can't feel them. I know I was relatively new to this whole werewolf thing, but that's one of the things I actually understood"

Lexa momentarily looked away, gathering her thoughts and taking a deep breath before connecting their eyes again to find Clarke looking expectantly at the brunette. She felt Clarke's hand latch onto her own, giving it a tiny squeeze in reassurance before Lexa went to speak.

"I'm not entirely sure to be honest. After Anya's...death" Lexa took a further deep breath before continuing, "None of us could hear each other anymore. It was the strangest thing. I couldn't remember a time when someone else wasn't in my head" Clarke watched solemnly as a melancholy smile drifted across Lexa's lips.

An insistent knocking at the front door had both girls jumping slightly, before Lexa let out a defeated sigh and rose from her position next to Clarke. She made sure to place a tender kiss against the blonde's forehead as she stood up, collecting her clothes on the way out of the room, giving Clarke enough time to gather her own clothes. The moment all of her clothes were gathered in her arms, Clarke hated the thought of putting on the last reminder of the past two years. Instead, she decided to raid Lexa's wardrobe, feeling a sense of familiarity wash over her at the simple task.

Once the blonde was tucked soundly in a pair of Lexa's leggings and a baggy, maroon sweatshirt, she pulled her boots on and made her way out of the bedroom towards hushed voices which were steadily getting louder.

"It's too soon. It's way too soon, Raven"

The sound of the bedroom door creaking had the Latina snapping her mouth shut before she strode across the room, wrapping her arms tightly around Clarke's body. Concerned blue eyes found green for a brief moment before Raven pushed back, holding Clarke at an arms length as she scanned her face.

"Raven?"

"I just still can't believe you're here. We all thought we'd never see you again"

Clarke chanced a quick glance over at Lexa as Raven continued to speak, seeing the brunette clench her jaw and look away towards the open window across the room.

"I can't believe you didn't tell me you're a werewolf though!" Raven's stern tone had Clarke bringing her attention back to the girl in front of her, finding her with raised eyebrows and hands on hips. Clarke couldn't help the small chuckle that escaped her lips as she went to reply.

"Not like I had much choice in the matter, Rae" The words flew from her mouth without much thought. Clarke instantly regretted them as she felt a slight pang in her chest, clearly not from her but from Lexa. She'd hurt her. That was the first shared feeling she truly felt after mating with the brunette and it was a painful one. Clarke instantly bypassed Raven, stepping further into the living room towards Lexa before she saw the brunette shaking her head, stopping her in her tracks. Raven looked on, completely bewildered, before she saw the look on Clarke's face.

"Ok, I'm gonna leave you two to it. Lex, I'll be in the control room whenever you're ready" Clarke watched as her best friend went to leave, briefly glancing back at her with a sympathetic expression. As soon as the door shut, Clarke turned to Lexa, taking a few steps forward.

"Lexa.."

Again, Clarke stopped moving as she saw Lexa shaking her head, warning her not to get any closer.

"Lexa, please, I didn't mean anything by it"

As soon as the words passed Clarke's lips, fiery green met blue as Lexa looked up, her jaw clenched and eyebrows drawn together in a frown.

"You blame me" It wasn't a question but a statement. Clarke furrowed her brows as she digested Lexa's words, going to contradict the other girl before she saw the brunette turning on her feet, making her way towards the front door.

"Hey!" Clarke lunged forward, latching onto Lexa's forearm tightly and pulling her around so they were face to face, literally just inches away from one another. Clarke swallowed as she saw Lexa's eyes darken in colour, obvious anger hidden deep within and swimming with a brewing storm.

"What are you talking about?"

Lexa's anger continued to irradiate from her body, her eyes practically all black but Clarke refused to budge, instead she stepped even closer.

"You blame me for all of this. You blame me for your mother's death, don't you?"

Clarke stood, completely dumbfounded by Lexa's words. The thought hadn't even crossed her mind up until this moment and even now she wasn't quite sure what to make of it. There was no way she would actively blame Lexa or hold Lexa accountable for something that wasn't in her power. But, on the other hand, her mother would most likely still be alive if she had never met Lexa. But one could know that for sure. Not Clarke or Lexa.

The silence following Lexa's statement had the brunette nodding solemnly in agreement, breaking away from Clarke's loosening grip and turning to leave the room once more.

"Lexa, please no" Clarke's final plea fell on deaf ears as she watched Lexa turn her head slightly before closing the door.

"Don't worry, I'm used to it"

* * *

 _Lexa's chest simply couldn't take it anymore. The excursion she'd put herself through, not to mention the intoxicating fumes of smoke and bodies would have any mortal dead within minutes. She'd thought the field surrounding the dome was bad. But hell, this was ten times worse. Downtown Bayfield no longer existed. Instead, black and grey rubble lay in it's place, with lifeless bodies strewn haphazardly and fire still blazing through what little gaps it could find._

 _The black wolf carefully stepped across the rubble, being hyperaware of the charcoal bodies lying in her path. She steadily jumped over the remaining rubble, now standing where the beginning of the forest once stood. She raised her snout towards the grey sky, trying to pick up the scent of anyone from her pack. Instead she was greeted with the grotesque smell of burning flesh. Immediately, Lexa shook her fur, hoping to shake off the remnants of this horrific day._

 _The sound of sirens was now a distant memory, leaving her stood alone in complete silence with no signs of life anywhere. Blonde hair and blue eyes crept to the forefront of her imagination, causing a rush of sorrow to cascade over her before she scrunched her eyes shut, willing the thoughts away with every muscle left working in her body._

 _The wolf hadn't even noticed the presence of one of her pack mates before she felt the heavy weight of a fellow wolf crashing into her, sending Lexa skidding across the broken floor below. An almighty snarl had her snapping her head to the left, Luke standing tall on all fours, staring intensely down at her. His fiery gaze sent pangs of guilt through her being as she thought back to Anya's last breath. Her alpha's final words replaying in her head like a commanding chant._

 _Lexa managed to regain her footing, slowly rising to her feet whilst letting out a shaky breath. Luke hadn't moved, neither had his fiery eyes as he continued staring at the black wolf before him._

 _"Luke" Lexa mentally whispered to her oldest friend, hoping he felt the grief rolling off her. Even if he had heard her, he never acknowledged it. Instead, his chest deflated and his eyes softened slightly, going back to their original dazzling blue. The grief and pain that was hidden away before was now on full display for all to see. He quickly glanced to his right before turning to look back at Lexa, clearly conflicted. She didn't know what to do. Should she stay and wait for him to approach, or should she make the first step and await his reaction. But neither came._

 _Lexa cocked her head to side in questioning, but never received an answer before Luke was turning his heavy wolf around, sauntering off back in the direction he had barrelled from. If the roles were reversed, Lexa couldn't deny what her reaction would be. If Luke was the one responsible for Clarke's death then who knew what she would do in her wolf form. The fact that she was still standing now was a miracle. The restraint Luke had shown was not a blessing though. If anything, Lexa wanted him to end her life. It was her fault Anya was dead. Her fault that Clarke no longer roamed the earth beside her._

 _Instead of following Luke, she watched as his wolf form steadily faded into nothingness, knowing full well she most likely would never see him again. She flopped down onto the hot ground below, wincing slightly as she realised Luke had almost torn the skin from her leg clean off. She let out an involuntary whine at the realisation she was completely alone. She no longer felt Clarke within her. She no longer heard the thoughts of her fellow pack mates. The death of Anya clearly breaking all ties they had with each other. She never thought that would be the result of their Alpha's death._

 _Lexa immediately snapped her head up with the hope that Clarke was still alive. If Anya died and severed ties within the pack, then surely that's why she could no longer feel Clarke. She pushed aside her arising doubts of 'She was your mate, surely it wouldn't sever that tie' and 'you felt the pang way before Anya's death'. Instead, she rose to her feet, a newfound vigour waking up inside in the hopes of finding her existing pack mates. Clarke included._

* * *

"Bellamy" Lexa nodded her head in greeting as she bypassed her old friend, watching him nod once in reply.

The control room was buzzing with anticipation, Raven sitting in the main chair in front of the severally lit monitors, and Jasper sitting next to her. Monty stood just behind Jasper, his eyes glued to the screens and arms folded across his chest. Lexa looked to her right as she made her way across the room, finding Octavia leaning against Lincoln's colossal chest with his back against the wall. They both smiled in greeting before she turned her attention back in front of her, her stoic expression not faltering once. She didn't know what she was thinking when she actually thought everything could go back to the way it was now that Clarke was back with her. That brief moment of hope when they lay in bed together had vanished the moment Clarke's words fell from her lips. As soon as they'd mated, Lexa knew she felt some sort of apprehension within Clarke but she didn't know to what extent until she voiced her own concerns. Love only caused unnecessary pain for all parties involved, especially Lexa's. She managed to shake the thoughts from her head as she stood behind Raven's chair, clearing her throat to make her presence known.

"Hey! Just in time, look" Raven didn't bother turning around and instead pointed to the monitor in front of her. Lexa leant down, resting one hand on the back of Raven's chair to get a better look at what the Latina was showing her. The group had managed to set up surveillance camera's in various positions surrounding the base after Raven got the power back up and running a few months back.

Lexa's brows turned down into a frown as she watched the monitor intently, "How long have they been there?"

"For the past hour or so"

"Shit" Lexa whispered as she watched the Crawlers stalking around the base, way too close for her liking. The fields and roads surrounding them were littered with half a dozen of the ugly creatures, all of them wandering aimlessly but not making any move to retreat.

"I know. What do you want to do?"

Before Lexa could even think about what she wanted to say, Octavia's voice filled the room. "Throw a few sticks of dynamite over the wall and have done with it"

"No, way too loud. I say we throw some Molotov's over it, that way there's no explosion" Bellamy had stepped forward, throwing in his thoughts before Lincoln did the same.

"And have the base catch fire? This is the one place we've found that's actually safe. I don't know about you, but I don't fancy going out and finding another place, do you?"

Without warning the room burst into a chorus of ideas being thrown left right and centre. Raven seemed to like Octavia's dynamite idea, purely because she likes to 'blow shit up' and it would be the quickest way to eradicate the 'motherfuckers'. Bellamy and Lincoln came to blows over what they should do, each having pent up aggression flying out in their words. Jasper and Monty even began arguing with each other, a sight so rare that even Lexa was briefly at a loss for words.

The brunette stood still in the middle of the room as the group continued to argue, only now noticing the presence of Clarke, who stood by the door completely bewildered by the events unfolding before her. Her blue eyes finally came to a stop when she locked eyes with green, her stomach bottoming out and butterflies immediately dancing within.

"Enough!" Lexa's commanding voice had the room silencing within seconds, each person looking on sheepishly as the brunette opened her mouth to speak. "No one is throwing any sort of fire hazard or bomb over the wall, and we're certainly not rigging up a flame thrower" She made sure to look directly at Jasper as she spoke, watching him raise his hands in surrender.

Lexa looked at each person, making sure they understood her. She finally looked at Clarke, the blonde finding a look of determination etched across Lexa's face. Clarke knew what Lexa was thinking. She knew what she was about to say. _No way._

"Lexa, no!" Clarke's gravely voice echoed through the room, causing each one of them to snap their heads in her direction. Well, everyone apart from one. Lexa clenched her jaw in anger, looking down at the floor before she pulled her head up, jutting her chin out, exuberating confidence.

Lexa took one step forward before being stopped by Clarke.

"No" Her word wasn't a pleading question. It wasn't a simple demand. It was a striking order, and not one to be ignored by the fiery look in Clarke's cerulean eyes. Lexa simply raised one eyebrow in defiance as she slowly descended on Clarke's unmoving position in the doorway, completely blocking the brunette's only escape.

"With me. Now" Lexa grabbed a hold of Clarke's forearm, pulling her out of the room, rather roughly, without a second glance back at their friends. She didn't stop until they were outside, only now releasing Clarke's arm from her vice like grip.

"I knew what you were going to say, Lexa. You can't just sacrifice yourself like that"

Lexa walked further away from Clarke before turning around and looking into pleading blue eyes as she spoke, "And why not, Clarke? Because you say so?"

"What the hell is the matter with you?! I don't know where the hell you got the idea that I blame you for any of this shit! It's not like any one of us can control this! And to actually think that loving me is weakness, well that's just absurd!"

Lexa was at a complete loss for words as she watched, breathless, as Clarke began pacing in front of her. Her words hitting deeper than she thought they ever could. She was so wrapped up in believing Clarke blamed her that she forgot the blonde had the ability to hear and feel her now, including her own doubts and guilt.

"I..." Lexa couldn't even think of a worthy response as Clarke continued to pace, the blonde's anger radiating through Lexa's own body.

Eventually, the pacing stopped, but the anger still flew off Clarke as she looked down at the ground below, her eyes shut and arms folded across her chest. Lexa carefully stepped forward, reaching out for Clarke who seemed to melt under the feather like touch of Lexa's fingers on her arm.

"I'm sorry"

To say Clarke wasn't expecting them words from Lexa was an understatement. The blonde simply shook her head in disbelief before she pushed her body against Lexa's, bringing her right arm to snake around the brunette's neck, effectively pulling her in for a bruising kiss. Lexa responded instantly, placing both hands on either side of Clarke's face as she deepened the kiss further, guiding their bodies against the brick wall behind Clarke.

After a few blissful minutes, Lexa pulled back but only just so she could rest her forehead against Clarke's, not yet wanting to part from the other girl.

"I would never actively blame you, Lexa. You know that, right?" Clarke whispered against Lexa's lips, only receiving a small nod in reply. "We are bonded now. Our lives are entwined. And for all we know, they always have been. So don't for a second think you can go off playing the hero without me, because I can't cope with even the thought of anything happening to you"

Lexa nodded more vigorously this time, the words seeming to have rattled something deep within her. She wrapped both arms around Clarke's neck, pulling her body in closer and tucking her head into the safety of the blonde's neck.

The echoing snarl of a crawler had Clarke jumping slightly with Lexa reluctantly pulling herself away from the warmth of the blonde's body. She took one last look into cerulean blue, only seeing determination now resting behind them, and nodded her head in confirmation before she led Clarke towards the garage with all her weapons inside.

"If we're going to do this, then you need to be equipped with the best, Clarke"

"I can handle myself, Lexa. Don't ask me how, but I just know"

Lexa looked back at Clarke as they strode across the tarmac, one eyebrow raised in suspicion. Another angry snarl had both girls picking up the pace, the underlying worry seeping through the cracks.

"Ok, here we go" Lexa picked up two bullet proof vests and walked across the garage towards Clarke. The blonde thinking there was one each, nearly laughed aloud when Lexa placed both vests rather unceremoniously into Clarke's awaiting arms.

"You can't be serious, Lex"

"I'm not taking any chances" Lexa's face said it all, with her brows drawn together in a frown and lips pulled together in a straight line.

Clarke sighed in defeat as she went to place the first vest on top of her sweater, "Just a quick question. Why don't we just go full werewolf on the creepers?"

"We can't. Whatever you do, Clarke, don't transition" Clarke almost choked on her own words with the intensity of Lexa's eyes boring into her own. Green almost fully black.

"Ok, sure thing" Lexa chose to ignore Clarke's concerned glances and instead went on to help the blonde with her vest before she grabbed her own swords and placed them in their holster against Clarke's back.

"Are those not yours?"

Lexa smirked as she spoke, "What's mine is yours, remember?"

Clarke's husky chuckle resonated through Lexa, eliciting the tiniest of smiles from the brunette before they both continued getting kitted up.

"Ready?"


	23. Chapter 23

"Ready?"

Clarke turned around, finding Lexa looking like some kind of super soldier. Her hair was now tied back in a tight ponytail, with what looked like half a balaclava situated around her neck. The blonde couldn't help it as her eyes slowly travelled further down Lexa's perfect figure, her mind beginning to wander off the task at hand.

Lexa smirked, knowing full well what Clarke was thinking, before she cleared her throat, successfully bringing blue eyes up to meet her own dancing green. The slight blush creeping onto Clarke's face had the blonde turn away from Lexa as the brunette's lips turned up into a tiny smile. The thunderous crash echoing through the sky cut through any unwanted tension as both girls jumped slightly, each nodding in confirmation as they made their way towards the exit of the garage. The heavens were just starting to crack open with the first signs of a brewing storm.

"Great" Lexa breathed out as she looked up at the darkening sky.

"Erm, Lex?"

Clarke's uncertain edgy voice had Lexa turning to face her mate, finding her staring off in the distance, with her brows raised in surprise. Lexa dutifully followed Clarke's line of sight, her throat constricting at the sight in front of her.

"Oh hell no"

Clarke hadn't even registered Lexa's diminishing presence next to her before she saw her striding away from her.

"What the hell are you all doing?"

Octavia looked up first, not bothering to step back from the clearly irate brunette charging at them. "What does it look like, Lexa?"

"You didn't really think we'd let you just waltz out there on your own and sort them out" Bellamy chipped in as he went to stand beside his sister, his head held high in defiance, but the beginnings of a smirk evident on his face.

"But you..."

"Lexa just shut up and accept it" Raven appeared from behind Bellamy, her chest covered in what looked like heavy armour with various weapons strapped to her.

Clarke now stood next to Lexa, her mouth slightly agape at the sight before her. Not only was Raven getting ready, but even Monty and Jasper were wearing ridiculous looking armour causing a swell of pride to build in her chest. Clearly, Lexa had bonded with these people beyond just simple acquaintances. God knows how they ended up all together, but she was happy nonetheless. If only everyone could be here with them.

"Come on, blondie, hurry up" Octavia chirped up, effectively snapping Clarke out of her stupor.

Lexa still felt uneasy though. She quietly rounded Octavia, gently latching onto Raven's arm so she could bring the younger girl to one side away from prying eyes.

"Raven, you don't have to do this. I understand the rest, but I don't expect anything from you"

Raven's hardened eyes stared directly back at Lexa's, not showing hostility but instead determination. She let out a gentle sigh before replying, "I know, Lexa. I want to do this. We both know why"

Clarke had witnessed Lexa dragging Raven off to the side, now watching intently at the interaction between her mate and oldest friend. Her brows furrowed in confusion at the moment the two seemed to be sharing. Her heightened senses meant she heard each word shared between them, but still it was like falling on deaf ears. Nothing made sense to Clarke anymore. She still wasn't sated with the answers she needed and these kind of interactions were just adding fuel to her already lit fire of inquisitiveness. The blonde made a mental note of asking Raven about this after whatever was about to happen.

Lexa, knowing full well that Raven wouldn't back down, simply nodded her head before leading the younger girl back to the group. Even Louisa and Chris were standing awkwardly at the main door, their hands full with what looked like medical supplies. The brunette looked over at Louisa, one brow raised in question.

"Just in case" Lexa narrowed her eyes as she watched Louisa's lips moving, nodding once in appreciation before she made it back to the group.

"Ok, well, I'm pretty sure the crawlers already know there's someone behind our walls, so the element of surprise is shot. But we'll just improvise I guess?"

"That's what we're best at" Bellamy's certain voice sent a wave of confidence surging through Lexa that she didn't even realise she needed until now. She stole a quick glance over at Clarke, who looked like a badass warrior with Lexa's swords strapped to her back. The blonde sent her a quick smile and nod in response before they each readied their weapons.

"Wait!" Raven's cry had Lexa stopping mid stride, just as she was about to open the main door to the base. "What if we let them in?"

"Are you mad?"

Raven simply ignored Bellamy's statement and instead approached Lexa, her leg clearly giving her some grief as she picked up her pace. "Think about it. We could let them in, then the element of surprise is back. We could even rig up some sort of trap or bomb or something!"

Clarke almost laughed at Raven's enthusiasm when she talked about blowing stuff up. Clearly something she's inherited from Jasper, considering the proud smile adorning his lips as he watched on silently with Monty by his side.

"Do we even have time for that?"

Raven let out a disgruntled huff in annoyance at Lexa's clear lack of confidence in her abilities. "Of course! Give me an hour tops. Jasper and Monty can help"

Lexa seemed to think over Raven's words, only wanting to eradicate the enemy as quick as possible. But her way of eradicating them could mean losing people. People she couldn't bare the thought of losing. Raven's way meant the crawler's would be around slightly longer but it was more efficient, and less rushed.

"OK. One hour, Raven"

"YES! Jasper, Monty, you're with me! Hey, Louisa, I need you girl!" Raven's enthusiasm increased ten fold as soon as Lexa gave her the go ahead. She even dragged Bellamy and Lincoln into her idea, pulling them away from the rest of the group who stood watching the whole ordeal with smirks adorning their faces.

"She always was the bossy one"

Lexa turned to the blonde upon hearing her husky voice, raising her brows in surprise. "I find that hard to believe, Clarke. You seem to be bossy enough for the both of you"

"Ok, on that note, I'm gonna go see how I can help. How about you two check out the surveillance feed?" Octavia suggested, wiggling her brows at Lexa before turning and jogging towards the hangar bay across the tarmac.

Once alone, Clarke awkwardly fumbled with her hands, her head bowed down to the floor. Ever since seeing Lexa and Raven's interaction, something clicked inside her, causing a wave of doubt to seep through her being. Lexa picked up on Clarke's changing demeanour instantly, turning to face the girl in question.

"Come on" Lexa wrapped one arm around Clarke's waist, leading her back towards the control room. They never spoke a word until Lexa closed the door behind them, leaning her back against it and never taking her eyes away from the wandering blonde in front of her. She watched as Clarke worked up the courage to speak her mind, even though she had a fairly good idea what that was. Lexa still needed to hear the words.

After a few silent minutes, Clarke stopped pacing, turning her full body towards Lexa who was still leaning against the door. Her throat began to constrict at the intensity behind those goddamn green eyes. The same forest green she had fallen for over two years ago. Those eyes she'd seen turn into impossible deep, emerald when they'd lay in each others arms not two hours ago. She shook her head briefly before taking a tentative step towards Lexa, feeling the innate need to be as close as possible to the brunette. But she resisted with all her might to simply throw herself into Lexa's arms. Instead she stopped a good five feet away from the other girl, so to not get drawn in before she had a chance to ask the heavy questions she needed answers to.

"Lexa" Her voice came out breathy, having to take a deep breath before she continued, "I need to know. You and Raven"

Even though Lea expected it, she still furrowed her brows. "Just friends"

"So you never.."

"No. We have a" Lexa stopped, momentarily thinking of the best words to describe her relationship with the feisty Latina. "complicated friendship. But you would never have to worry about anything like that, with anyone"

Clarke, seemingly distracted by Lexa's answer, didn't realise the brunette was no longer resting against the door but standing a couple of feet away from her. Touching distance.

"Clarke, my heart and soul belongs to you and only you"

The words ghosted off Lexa's lips as though it was the most obvious thing in the world. And to Lexa it was.

"So there was never anyone else?"

"Never. And besides, it's not like I would have had time even if I wanted to, with the apocalypse and all" Lexa's attempt of humour didn't really hit Clarke as it was meant to. Instead the blonde sighed a heavy sigh of relief, finally feeling the weight lift off her shoulders. Even though she had an inkling that Lexa never had anyone else, she still needed to hear it from the other girl.

Lexa took the silence as a good sign, feeling Clarke's heart beat fading back to it's normal rate. She drifted a little bit further towards the other girl, lifting her hand to ghost across Clarke's forearm. "Was there anything else?"

"I need to know how you became Alpha"

The small smile playing on Lexa's lips instantly faded at Clarke's words. She retreated slightly with her hands now crossed behind her back and head bowed down, deep in thought. Truth be told, Lexa could simply show Clarke what had happened, but she didn't want to burden the blonde anymore than she already was. And, Lexa really didn't want to re-live the events of that day and that's exactly what would happen if she did give Clarke those memories. Instead, she glanced over at the camera monitors, sighing slightly when she found the crawlers still wandering aimlessly close to the walls.

Clarke felt Lexa's inner turmoil, briefly causing her to regret asking in the first place. But the truth of the matter is, she wanted to share everything with Lexa. She wanted to carry the burden instead of the brunette. She watched as Lexa plonked herself down in the chair where Raven previously sat, placing both hands gently on the arm rests. The brunette then looking up at Clarke, her hardened eyes seeming to glaze over as if she were putting up a barrier of sorts. Before Clarke could protest, Lexa opened her mouth to explain.

"It wasn't by choice, and I certainly don't go by that title. We are no longer a pack and haven't been since that day"

Clarke didn't have to ask what day Lexa was referring to. Instead she drifted closer to the brunette, resting up against the table in the middle of the room and waited patiently for her to continue.

"Anya saved me. She risked her life to save me and that's what it cost her. Her life. Because I was her chosen Beta, the title of Alpha was passed to me, but because it wasn't done properly our pack disintegrated as if it were ash" Lexa watched as Clarke's eyebrows furrowed, clearly in confusion. "To be Alpha, you have to be appointed. Whether it be through death or simply the Alpha's choice, there needs to be a ceremony" Lexa took a deep breath before continuing, "Anya died in my arms. No one else was there apart from us. Even Luke didn't get to say goodbye"

"That's why he isn't here?"

Lexa nodded, a solemn look now adorning her features. Her eyes were still hardened, but Clarke could tell her resolve was wavering.

"Luke found me later that day" Lexa broke eye contact with Clarke, "He could have killed me there and then and I would have gladly let him, but instead he just left me. I didn't know what to do. So I set off in search of the rest of the pack"

"And you found Bellamy, Octavia and Lincoln?"

Lexa nodded, "Yes, but Emma was still with us then. She was killed. It broke Bellamy, to the point where I truly believed he was going to kill himself. And again, I wouldn't have done anything to stop him. Hell, I'd been exactly where he was not long before him"

Clarke felt an intense need to take Lexa into her arms and never let go. Even the mere thought of Lexa being in pain, caused Clarke tremendous anxiety, so god knows how the brunette coped with thinking Clarke was dead.

"How did you do it? How did you get through it?"

"I needed to, for them. Even though I couldn't see myself as the Alpha, they did"

Clarke slowly nodded her head in understanding, feeling immense pride in her mate. She had simply pushed aside her own grief to be there for her pack mates, to be the leader they needed her to be.

"You're amazing, Lexa" Clarke breathed out without thinking, causing the brunette to let out a small huff in response whilst shaking her head.

"I couldn't save them though, Clarke. I couldn't stop Luke from leaving. Hell, Raven almost died because of me"

"What?" Clarke straightened her back, brows flying up in shock.

Without speaking, Lexa rose from her seat, slowly crossing the threshold between her and Clarke. The blonde watched Lexa intently as she raised her hand, gently resting it against Clarke's cheek. She was about to question Lexa's actions when her mind flooded with what seemed to be Lexa's memories.

* * *

 _"Raven, you ready?"_

 _Lexa walked into Raven and Bellamy's shared room, turning her head towards the Latina's side to find her hunched over the small desk. At this point, they hadn't found the army base, and instead they were residing in what could only be described as a small mansion. They had come across it on their way towards the coast, hoping to find any signs of life. So far, there was still nothing but scorched fields and crumbling cities._

 _"Yeah dude, let me just finish this!" Raven didn't even bother turning to face Lexa as she spoke, too enthralled in whatever invention she was working on this time. Lexa didn't reply, instead going to lay on the younger girls bed, patiently waiting for her._

 _It was their turn to go out in search of supplies, considering Bellamy was on watch and Lincoln and Octavia had just come back from a scouting mission. Monty and Jasper couldn't be trusted to go out on their own, not after their recent escapade at Wall Mart, so instead they were ordered to stay indoors where it was safe. Much to Jasper's dismay._

 _"What are you working on this time?" Lexa's intrigue got the better of her as she spoke, turning her head to find Raven leaning back on her chair, looking down at her work with a smile on her face, clearly proud of her own work._

 _"Well, I'm putting together a plan for some solar panels. I'm sick of candles" She briefly glanced over at Lexa, "No offence"_

 _"None taken" Lexa simply stated, lifting her body from the bed to take a closer look at the plans._

 _"See, if I can find the correct materials, I'll be able to build at least three panels. That way we'll be able to get power. And I'll make sure they're portable"_

 _"And how do you plan on putting them up?" Lexa questioned, her eyebrows raised._

 _"Bellboy can do that!" Raven clapped her hands together after a few seconds of thinking, causing Lexa to chuckle at the Latina's response. It was nice for Lexa to see the budding friendship between Raven and Bellamy. They were good for each other, with them both having lost someone important to them. The brunette could tell Raven was still hurting form losing her love Finn and of course losing Clarke, which Lexa couldn't even bear to think about. Instead, she focused all of her energy on this group of people who she now considered a family, even if it was a dysfunctional family._

 _Raven looked up at Lexa, witnessing the older girl getting lost in her own thoughts. She'd grown accustomed to each persons little quirks and strange habits, and this was Lexa's worst one. Getting lost in past memories and what if's. Once, Raven even caught Lexa stuck in a past memory, where it took twenty whole minutes of soft coaxing and shakes to bring the brunette back to the present._

 _"Hey, you ready?" Lexa hadn't even realised Raven had moved and was stood next to her until the Latina placed her hand atop her shoulder, gently coaxing her out of her stupor._

 _"Yeah, sorry. Just got caught"_

 _Raven didn't question Lexa, she never did. Instead, she nodded solemnly and lead the older girl from the room, heading towards the kitchen._

 _"I still can't believe this place. I mean seriously, it's so amazing!" Raven exclaimed as she twirled around in the huge kitchen. It had clearly been recently refurbished, with gleaming white walls and brand new counter tops, and even a massive island centred in the middle of the room, where Monty and Jasper currently resided, playing some sort of game to pass the time._

 _Lexa smiled gently, "I know, it would have been a lovely place to live before all this" And the brunette really believed that. She believed that if none of this happened, her and Clarke would eventually be living somewhere like this. The blonde having gotten through college and finished her medical training to become an amazing surgeon. Lexa would have set up her fathers wood working shop again, in the hope of building the company and sharing her work with the world. They could have even had kids one day and got married, like a normal couple._

 _"Lexa! Please, can I come? I feel like I'm gonna go crazy if I spend another minute cooped up in this house!"_

 _Lexa once again snapped out of her own head to find Jasper jumping off the bar stool and staring at her with pleading brown eyes. She felt slightly guilty for imprisoning him in the house but it was for good reasons. He had almost blown them up on their last escapade._

 _"Maybe next time" Lexa simply answered, causing him to deflate and saunter back to his previous position across from Monty._

 _"Right, where are we going?" Raven turned to Lexa after gathering her supplies, placing Bellamy's trusty handgun into it's holster strapped to her thigh._

 _"We'll take the car into town again. Maybe there was something we missed last time"_

 _Raven looked expectantly at Lexa, "And if there's still nothing?"_

 _"Well then we'll have to try somewhere further afield"_

 _Raven nodded her head in answer, playfully ruffling Jasper's hair as she walked past him, causing the younger boy to swat her hand away, giving her his best dirty look. She laughed in reply as she walked behind Lexa as they went to exit the house. It really was the best place they had found so far. Even though there wasn't enough rooms for one each, there was certainly enough security in case anything were to happen. The house itself stood alone, surrounded by a large brick wall, and fenced in with it's own gate._

 _"Hey!" Bellamy's echoing shout had both girls stopping to look up as he hopped down from the roof of the porch, landing squarely on his feet. "Be careful out there"_

 _Lexa watched has he looked between Raven and herself, the genuine concern glowing in his brown eyes._

 _"Don't worry, Bellboy! I'm travelling with an Alpha! And besides, I'm awesome, so"_

 _Lexa simply rolled her eyes at Raven's blasé attitude, eventually having to drag her away from Bellamy's taunting replies before they had some sort of dance off._

 _"You can drive"_

 _Raven jumped up in joy, like an overly excitable child being told they could have ice cream. "YES!" She quickly grabbed the keys from Lexa's awaiting hands and jogged towards Lincoln's jeep._

 _"How about here?" Raven pointed across the street, having slowed the jeep down to an almost stop so Lexa could check it out. They'd been driving for the past hour, slowly gliding through the town closest to the house, in search of any kind of supplies. Lexa's concern only grew with each day they didn't find anything. She knew that eventually things would start to run out and they would have to find their own way to grow food and sorts, but that would only come when completely necessary._

 _"No, there's nothing here" Lexa let out a heavy sigh, "We'll have to try the next town over. How are we looking on gas?"_

 _Raven pushed her head forward to look at the fuel gauge, "We've got enough to get there and back. Do you think we should go back for Bellamy or Lincoln or something? Just in case"_

 _Lexa pondered on the idea, knowing full well the more hands the better, just in case something were to happen. But they were already close to the next town, and it didn't make sense to travel all the way back to the house and then come back when petrol was also something they couldn't take for granted anymore._

 _"We should go and check it out. If there are any signs of danger, we'll come straight back. Ok?"_

 _Raven looked over at Lexa as she replied, "Sure thing, boss. I'm just happy I get to drive further"_

 _A small smile grew on Lexa's lips as she watched Raven rev the engine of the jeep, her eyes brightening at the prospect of driving just that little bit further. She had really grown accustomed to having the younger girl around. They'd found solace in each other over Clarke's death, both being the closest thing to having the blonde back with them. Even after though, they'd become close friends just because they clicked. Something about Raven's blasé attitude and strength reminded Lexa somewhat of a younger version of herself. And Raven found it hard to admit at first, but she actually loved being around Lexa. Her easy and calming demeanour grounding her when things got too tough._

 _When they neared the next town, Lexa felt an uneasy feeling settling in the pit of her stomach. She pushed it aside as Raven pulled the jeep to the side of the abandoned road, slowly getting out of the car with her ears pricked and eyes alert._

 _"Well, this looks promising" Raven's sarcastic comment rolled off Lexa as if the words never left the younger girls mouth. Instead, her senses were on hyeralert. The brunette couldn't escape the feeling that someone was watching them, even though Raven was completely oblivious, as the Latina continued to give Lexa a running commentary of her every move._

 _"Ooo look a beauty salon! I wonder how much it would cost for me to get my hair and nails done in the apocalypse! Hey, Lex, do you think I'll get discount?"_

 _Lexa briefly glanced over at Raven, finding her gliding across the other side of the road towards the beauty salon. She shook her head before turning her attention back to the stores lining her side of the road. There wasn't much, except a few tiny convenience stores which looked like they'd been burnt to bits during the bombs. She sighed heavily after finding absolutely nothing worthwhile, deciding to turn and find her trusty companion._

 _"Raven?" Lexa called out after finding no traces of the girl on the street. She must have gone into that goddamn nail salon. Lexa rolled her eyes at the prospect and jogged across the street, only stopping when she thought she heard a low grumble from behind her. On inspection, there was nothing behind her and the brunette chalked it up to her annoyingly active imagination. She swiftly turned, her breath catching her throat at finding the grumbling creature stood on all fours in front of her, looking up at her with it's menacingly blacked out eyes._

 _"Holy shit" Lexa's words ghosted across her lips as she took an unsteady step back, never once taking her eyes away from the skeletal creature. She watched as it flared it's nostrils, lifting it's thin head slightly up towards Lexa as if trying to decipher whether she's worth it's time. It looked as though it was about to give up until Raven came charging from the shop, obviously having seen what was unfolding in the street._

 _"Lexa!"_

 _The sound of Raven's panicked cries had the creature charging full throttle towards Lexa, lifting it's entire body off the ground in one swift move. Lexa grunted as the creature crashed it's weight against her own, sending them both flying back before hitting the hard tarmac below. It's nasty canines continuously snapped down, every chomp nearing Lexa's head. The only thing holding it back was Lexa's strong hand's pushing on it's chest, trying her best to heave it away from her. Even her strength wasn't enough for it, causing the panic to bubble to the surface from the pit of Lexa's stomach. She eventually turned her head to the side, her brows set in a firm frown as she cried out in frustration that this creature was getting the best of her, even with her superhuman strength._

 _"Lexa!" Raven cried out, her shaky hands finally managing to unclip the handgun from it's holster. She pulled it up in both hands, pointing it directly at the wriggling monster on top of Lexa. The shot wasn't clear, but she took it anyway, sending a resounding shot to echo through the empty town._

 _A piercing screech escaped the creature's mouth as soon as the bullet lodged into it's back, only slowing it's pace before finally latching onto Lexa's shoulder with it's dagger like teeth. Raven felt completely helpless as she heard Lexa's pained cries. She shot again, the bullet scraping against the creatures back before she fired two more shots, eventually slowing the creature until it let out one final cry in pain as it slumped down, hard, against Lexa's chest._

 _"Oh my god! Lexa, are you ok?!" Raven rushed down to Lexa's side, swiftly using her right foot to kick the creature away from them. She narrowed her eyes as she got to her knee's, assessing the damage it did._

 _"Yeah, I'm good" Lexa finally breathed out as she sat up, one hand clutching her blood ridden shoulder, whilst the other latched onto Raven's still shaking hand._

 _"What the fuck is that?!"_

 _They both looked down at the now shrivelled up creature, it's eyes still wide open and blacked out whilst it's tongue lulled out of the side of it's mouth. It was one of the most horrific things Raven had ever seen. And she'd seen a lot of things._

 _"It's got sharp teeth, that's for sure" Lexa looked down at her shoulder, briefly taking her hand off the wound to find it still weeping with copious amounts of blood. She immediately placed her hand back over it, feeling a sharp pain surge down her right arm._

 _Raven looked down at the wound, her stomach lurching at the amount of blood trickling down Lexa's arm. The worry now bubbling through her chest, and threatening to escape in a strangled sob. Raven wrapped her arm around Lexa, trying to support her weight as they lifted themselves from the ground._

 _"Let's get you out of here" The words rolled off Raven's tongue just as they managed to stand._

 _Lexa opened her mouth, getting ready to thank the Latina when she felt the wind being knocked out of her. She'd ended up face first on the tarmac below, no longer feeling Raven's presence beside her. The utter horror filled Lexa as she looked to her right, finding at least three of the skeletal monsters atop of Raven's unmoving body, her face full of blood and leg sticking out in the most unnatural angle she'd only ever seen on the T.V._

 _"Raven!" The anger swelled in Lexa's chest as she felt her wolf awakening, pushing through her human resolve until the brunette was stood in full wolf form, her eyes dazzling with rage. The menacing growl echoed across the tarmac as she charged her body, full force, into the first creature, sending it flying into the second and successfully freeing Raven from them both._

 _Both creatures lay on the floor in what looked like shock, before getting back to their feet and barrelling towards Lexa. She easily dodged the first, but the second flew through the air, landing directly onto her back. The sound of snapping behind her ear alerted Lexa that it was trying and failing to take a chunk of her back with it. She pushed up, sending it flying off her back. Free from any dead weights, Lexa ignored the shrill screams of the first two and ploughed into the third, ripping it's throat out in the process. One down, two to go._

 _The sound of Raven's deep groan's momentarily distracted Lexa, giving both creatures the opportunity to pounce. They came at her from both sides, sending Lexa skidding across the floor on her back, one of them having gotten a claw lodged into her stomach on the way. She let out a pained whine before flipping over. Now on all fours, she could see both creatures beginning to circle her, as if stalking their prey. Instead of retaliating, she pushed her body down, lying flat on the floor so when they charged at her, they collided with each other instead._

 _Luckily for Lexa, there was only one left now. It's heaving form staring daggers towards her, the blood of it's foe dripping from it's fangs. It really didn't stand a chance once Lexa charged at it, using her entire body weight to crush it beneath one of her paws. The sound of it's skull crushing let Lexa know she had done it. Ignoring her own bodies pleas, she turned, rushing over to Raven who seemed to be writhing in pain, her brown eyes blood shot and wide._

 _Lexa lay on her stomach, nuzzling her snout against Raven's head softly, releasing a tiny whine._

 _"Lexa?" Raven's voice was broken as she spoke, a tiny bit of blood bubbling from the corner of her mouth. Lexa needed to get her home. She couldn't lose her._

 _Lexa swiftly transitioned back into her human form, trying as gently as she could to lift Raven into her arms. The sharp cries falling from the Latina's mouth sent daggers straight through her chest._

 _"I'm sorry" Lexa breathed out as she pulled Raven's battered body into the back of the jeep. The blood seeping from her head wound still poured down her face, and her leg was disgustingly bent sideways causing Raven to cry out every now and then. Lexa had never heard anything like it. She didn't even realise she had been crying until she pulled into the long driveway of their house, the tears practically blinding her from the house in front of her._

 _"Lexa?" Bellamy called out from the top of the porch, instantly jumping down after seeing her wearing nothing at all. He pulled off his shirt, wrapping it around her tiny frame as he followed her around to the back of the jeep. His eyes widening in alarm after seeing Raven's current state._

 _"Fucking hell!"_

 _"Help me get her out!"_

 _Bellamy instantly pulled the now unconscious Raven from the car, cradling her in his arms as he ran towards the front door. Lexa ran ahead of him, calling out for help as soon as the door swung open. He hopped up the few steps, rushing into the living room and placing her down gently on the long sofa. His hands were already covered in her blood as he continued to stroke the top of her hair._

 _"What's going on?" Octavia groggily walked into the living room, her eyes widening once she realised what was happening. "Oh my god!" She sprinted across the room, coming to kneel down next to her brother as she scanned Raven's body._

 _"We need to re-set her leg" Lexa announced as she walked back into the living room, her hands full of all sorts of medical equipment. Jasper and Monty followed close behind, carrying everything Lexa couldn't manage herself._

 _"Bellamy, we haven't administered any pains meds yet, so she's gonna be in a hell of a lot of pain once I do this. I need you to keep her as still as you can, and try and soothe her" He simply nodded in confirmation, not taking his worried eyes away from his friend._

 _"Octavia, I need another set of hands"_

 _"Whatever you need"_

 _The next few minutes were a bit of a blur for Lexa. She vaguely remembers setting Raven's leg back to it's normal position, with the help of Octavia. Both of them cringing at the sound of Raven's pain stricken screams echoing through the house. Even Monty couldn't stand being in the room, having bid his farewell not long after they'd started. Bellamy continued to shush and whisper words of encouragement into Raven's ears, hating the pained cries and whines escaping past her lips._

 _Lexa managed to splint Raven's leg using anything sturdy she could get her hands on. Eventually the pain meds she administered had Raven nodding off into a deep sleep, only shifting and crying every now and then. Nothing compared to what she was like at first. Bellamy refused to leave her side, letting Lexa have a bit of time to herself to rid her of the days events._

 _Octavia followed Lexa out of the house towards the back yard, watching intently as the brunette's knees seemed to give way. She was quick to react, wrapping her arms around Lexa's waist and bringing her close._

 _"Shh, it's ok" Octavia's words did little to soothe Lexa, the entire events replaying through her head, reminding her of the day Anya died. Lexa couldn't remember how long they stayed glued to the floor, the feeling of helplessness seeping through Lexa's bones until it was all she could feel._

* * *

Clarke, slightly disoriented, opened her eyes to find Lexa staring back at her, a single tear falling down her cheek at the memories. The blonde stood, mouth slightly agape and at a complete loss for words. She'd remembered Lexa doing that to her once but it was nowhere near as intense as that. She actually felt like she was Lexa battling those creatures. She felt the pain of being bitten. The panic coursing through her when Lexa found Raven in that state.

"That was..."

"Yeah" Lexa breathed out, nodding her head in understanding. She took a step back, plonking back into the chair, suddenly feeling all the energy draining from her body. Clarke followed her, kneeling down so she was now eye level with the brunette.

"I'm sorry I wasn't there with you"

Lexa shook her head, her green eyes full of conviction as she looked into sorrowful blue, "We will find out what happened to you, Clarke, I promise"

Clarke lay one hand against Lexa's knee before bringing her other up to rest against the soft skin of Lexa's cheek. She watched as the brunette momentarily closed her eyes at the gentle touch, leaning further into Clarke's hand.

The door swinging open and crashing against the adjacent wall had both girls jumping away from each other, as if just being found doing something they shouldn't.

"We're ready!" Lincoln's chest heaved as the words escaped his lips, causing Lexa and Clarke to take one final look at each other before nodding their heads and following Lincoln from the room.


End file.
